Fishing for a Dream: Ocean Lullabies and Night Verses [Hardcover]

Kate Kiesler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 20, 1999 | Age Level: 2 and up

Images of sleep and images of the ocean meet in this enchanting picture book. Dreamy oil paintings accompany a selection of lullabies and poems that sing of the sea, boats, water, fishing, and sea creatures. Included are traditional rhymes from many countries, classics by Stevenson, Tennyson, Field, and Kipling, and selections by recent and contemporary poets, certain to give a young sailor a soothing sendoff at bedtime.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Kiesler's (The Great Frog Race) dreamy acrylic paintings accompany an eclectic collection of soothing poems about the sea. In addition to traditional lullabies from Hawaii, Greece, Ireland and France, Kiesler includes some classic fare: Eugene Fields's "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod," Tennyson's "Sweet and Low" and Robert Louis Stevenson's "My Bed Is a Boat." Especially charming 20th-century additions feature Eve Merriam's onomatopoeic "Lullaby" ("Sh sh what do you wish") and Dahlov Ipcar's delicate "Fishes' Evening Song." The layouts are varied, rhythmically and unobtrusively, while each idyllic painting exudes the evanescent wonder of a nighttime sea. A full-page painting of a mother and child against a seascape of peach-colored clouds is juxtaposed with the spot art of the "herrins in the bay" from the Scottish "Hush Song." In a fantastic vein, a full-spread painting offers a literal interpretation of Merriam's lines about a magical fish that "swims out from the window and down to the river"; Kiesler adds a parent and baby watching from the window, and she spangles the fish with golden stars. Both art and text emphasize the enchantment of misty dreams and the lullaby sound of the "silvery waves [that] rock the fishes to sleep" (Jean Jaszi). Despite the disparate cultures and centuries from which the poems have been culled, each reverberates with comfort and love. Ages 2-5. (Sept..-- rock the fishes to sleep" (Jean Jaszi). Despite the disparate cultures and centuries from which the poems have been culled, each reverberates with comfort and love. Ages 2-5. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-This enchanting collection includes traditional lullabies such as "Dance to Your Daddy" and classic poems such as Robert Louis Stevenson's "My Bed Is a Boat," as well as more recent playful creations by Eve Merriam and Dahlov Ipcar. The gentle, muted colors in Kiesler's illustrations reinforce the calm, restful mood of the verses. There is a whimsical, dreamlike aspect to some of the pictures, while other paintings are more realistic. The artist often includes elements from the culture in which the lullaby originated. One could pair this collection with Naomi Shihab Nye's Benito's Dream Bottle (S & S, 1995) to fuel discussion of dreams and imagination for a starry storytime. A beautifully designed collection, perfect for sharing with children before nap time, bedtime, and anytime for quiet reflection.
Robin L. Gibson, Muskingum County Library System, Zanesville, OH
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (September 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395941490
• ISBN-13: 978-0395941492
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,399,125 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Book, March 7, 2010

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A Sailor (Vermont) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Fishing for a Dream: Ocean Lullabies and Night Verses (Hardcover)

I love this collection of poems and lullabies of the sea, beautiful paintings. Great book to sing your little one to sleep.