NEVER KICK A SLIPPER AT THE MOON

Sandburg’s “Never Kick a Slipper at the Moon,” which originally appeared in his Rootabaga Stories (1922), is given new life in a picture-book edition. Unfortunately, taken out of its familiar context, the story fizzles; it lacks a sense of logical progression and doesn’t really work as delightful nonsense either. Litzinger’s illustrations are filled with pleasingly round, red-faced figures and happily dancing shoes of many colors, and her use of different media, including watercolor, colored pencil, ink and gouache, results in an appealingly rich sense of texture in many of the spreads. Even so, the repeated images are not likely to hold a child’s interest. Although its fairy-tale quality is initially appealing, the typeface becomes difficult to read very quickly. A big swing at charm and whimsy but, regrettably, a miss. (biographical note on Carl Sandburg) (Picture book. 5-8)