The Silver Moon: Lullabies and Cradle Songs

Soothing verses lead readers through dreamtime landscapes that range from snug woodland animal dens to tranquil celestial skies. Prelutsky integrates warm, whimsical imagery into each of the 20 entries (“The silver moon shines softly,/ The sun is not awake./ A beetle rows an acorn boat/ Across a silver lake”), while Ishida illustrates in smooth acrylic paintings with sweeping curves and rounded forms that give the scenes a sense of solidity and security. As animals slumber in a meadow, a human mother holds her baby close, her hair blending into the ripples of a pond: “Bears are asleep in the forest,/ Fish are asleep in the sea./ Birds are asleep on their branches above..../ My baby is sleeping by me.” Fathers and grandparents narrate a few lullabies, but most can be read by any parent or guardian, making this a collection that families of all kinds can settle down with. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)