MIN-YO AND THE MOON DRAGON

The moon is slowly falling. Little Min-Yo is selected to climb a fragile cobweb staircase and take a diamond to the Moon Dragon in the hopes that he will help; she also carries along a few vegetables in case the dragon wants to vary his diet of moondust. ``Misty white with brilliant colors shining through, as if he had swallowed a rainbow,'' the dragon is friendly and enjoys the food, but he points out that he has too many diamonds already—perhaps their weight is the problem. He and Min-Yo hurl the jewels into the sky, forming stars, and, sure enough, the moon returns to its proper place. The story (Hillman's first) is smoothly told and its details are appealing, though it seems a bit empty—a fable without a moral. The lush oversize format features an elaborate border, soft, modishly clashing colors, and decorative (but rather wooden) watercolor renditions of oriental characters and settings. Acceptable, but hardly essential. (Picture book. 4-8)