From School Library Journal
PreS–When Sun slips over the edge of the world/And Moon sails up to the stars, an obviously pregnant Eskimo mother and her young child paddle along the seacoast and observe different ocean creatures. Each spread features a large illustration of a particular mother/baby animal pair (or group)–otters, walruses, dolphins, polar bears, etc.–settling down to sleep, with a smaller illustration of the duo looking on from their boat. Brief, descriptive sentences end with the refrain: To Ocean's child we say good night./Good night, little orca {puffin, etc.}, good night. The artwork is done in the same finely crafted, softly colored graphic style that Diaz used in
The Pot That Juan Built (Lee & Low, 2002) and
César: Si, Se Puede!/Yes, We Can! (Marshall Cavendish, 2004). He has projected swirly reflectionlike patterns in the water that seem to bounce off clothing, boat, and sea animals, along with representations of plant life and bubbles. Unfortunately, the rhythmic cadence of the unrhymed text and repetitive refrain is not maintained throughout. Also, references to both the woman's unborn child (…asleep/In a sea of her own quiet dreams) and to the child with her as Ocean's child seem a bit abstract, given the authors' and illustrator's careful choice of animals appropriate to the setting and accurate depictions of their sleep habits.
–Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to the
Library Binding
edition.
As an Inuit mother paddles her baby home at dusk, she identifies baby ocean animals as they prepare for night. Despite the Arctic Ocean setting, the language is warm and assuring bedtime fare with two free-verse lines introducing each animal, followed by a refrain, e.g., “When the last lullaby of whale song is sung / Baby naps on Mother’s back. / To ocean’s child we say good night. / Good night, little baby, good night.”As the story closes, the Inuit mother perceives her own sleeping child as Mother Ocean’s child, too. Beautifully stylized animals glide among ocean currents and swirling ribbons of kelp and seaweed. Close inspection of mother and child’s parkas reveal delicate indigenous designs, and the bright fur enveloping their faces makes them appear starlike against the sky. The soothing flow of rhythmic language and elegant images creates a serenity just right for bedtimes. Preschool-Grade 2. --Linda Perkins
