Goodnight Songs: A Celebration of the Seasons

This accompanying volume to Goodnight Songs (2014) features 12 more unpublished poems and songs by Brown, illustrated by as many artists, including Floyd Cooper, Molly Idle, David Small, and Frank Viva. “Winter Adventure” conveys a child’s encounter with a wild rabbit after leaving it a treat (“He shot like a bullet/ From out of that tree/ Leaving tracks in the snow,/ And the apple there for me”), while Mick Wiggins blends chilly and warm colors to emphasize the different worlds occupied by child and rabbit. For Brown’s sillier “The Kitten’s Dream,” Bob Staake creates a dreamscape featuring a castle, locomotive, and cake-melting rainstorm. Though some poems are only lightly tied to the seasons, the spectrum of artistic styles provides a rich accompaniment to Brown’s mix of playfulness and subtle contemplation. A CD with musical performances is included. Ages 3–6. (Aug.)