Legend has it that the heavens open for a split second on the night of Shavuot, presenting an opportunity for humans and God to commune. In order not to miss this opportunity, many stay up all night and study some aspect of Torah. In the morning, shacharit – morning service is said outdoors as the moon wanes and the sun rises. Most people are curious about the heavenly bodies and many of the children's books appropriate Shavuot address this fascination.

What is the Full Moon Full Of? by Shulamith Levey Oppenheim. Pictures by Cyd Moore. Bantam Doubleday Dell, $6.99. Ages 3-8.

Everyone has an opinion about the question that Jonas asks his Nana as they take a special walk before bedtime. The squirrel sees lumps and bumps, so answers "Nuts, of course!" The cow sees white, so she says "Milk and cream."

The robin and the bullfrog are both sure it's worms (for the early bird) and flies (which are plentiful at night), and the bear votes for golden honey.

Then Jonas and Nana, who is refreshingly depicted as a slim, gray-mopped jeans-and-shirt-and-tennis-shoe type (but unrealistically with nary a wrinkle in sight), share their opinions before the question is passed on to the young reader to ponder. The illustrations are wacky and charming and cleverly innovative and end with the usual Boy-Tucked-Into-Bed dusky tones. Happily, there is no reference to cheese, so we're all free to continue to speculate on the eternal question.

David v. God by Mary E. Pearson. Harcourt. $16.00. Ages 10 and up.

"Make a wrong turn, Mrs. Dunne?" David asked, as he noticed himself, as well as his entire honors biology class and their teacher, floating upwards after the van crashed. He figured this was not a good thing, but it's hard to resist a perfectly good wisecrack, even if one is dying. And dying was certainly not something David was going to take lying down, especially since some of the class, most particularly the Chief Nerd, Marie, were not people with whom he would choose to spend eternity, if it did come to that. David is sure God made a mistake, insists upon seeing God, and finally gets his way: He will be allowed to debate the question of whether or not he may return to life with God. And since David joined the Debating Society solely because it would keep him from being suspended, he is a bit nervous especially since God keeps leaving him notes suggesting he read Genesis to bone up for the debate. Marie is also pushing him to research precedents, opening arguments and other things that would win points. Well, both David and Marie learn a couple of useful things up there in that rarefied place, and--except for the fact that they choose Christmas carols as comfort music--this is a hilarious and very Jewish story about calling God to account. Think Abraham and the Ten Righteous Men of Sodom: Jonah and his reaction to prophesying at Nineveh; Hannah bargaining for a child. Only slightly morbid in spots, it should be appealing to 12 and up and shouldn't be disallowed to 10s and 11s of some sophistication. In between studying Torah over the two-day Shavuot holiday, take a break with David, Marie and God.