Turning a beloved lullaby on its head, this wonderful read-aloud pairs playful text and enchanting paintings to create a rollicking escapade with a clever premise and a cozy conclusion.
“Rock-a-bye, Baby, in the treetop. How did you ever get so high up?”
That’s a good question—and this delightful book weaves a gentle fantasy around the baby who finds himself in that very predicament! A marvelous adventure ensues, taking Baby from the tree branches to a farm full of animals to a ride down the river, and finally on a flight through the night sky into the safety of Mama’s arms.
On sale: January 19, 2016
Age: 1-3 years
Grade: Up to Preschool
Page count: 32 Pages
ISBN: 9780698408340
Reading level: Lexile: AD450L
Linda Ashman (www.lindaashman.com) has written over twenty-five picture books, which have garnered awards such as
New York Times Notable Children’s Book, IRA/CBC Children’s Choices Selection, Bank Street Best Book,
Booklist Editors’ Choice,
Parenting Best Book, and
Child Best Book. As a children’s poet, she’s been compared to Ogden Nash, Mary Ann Hoberman, Douglas Florian, and Jack Prelutsky. She was born in New York and grew up in New Jersey, and has worked as a real estate market analyst and in urban planning. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with her husband, son, and two dogs.
Simona Mulazzani (www.morgangayninkids.com/mulazzani/) has illustrated over seventy adult and children's books for international publishers. She received a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators in 2013. She was born in Milan, Italy, and now lives in Pesaro, Italy.
* “Gently funny and eminently reassuring expansion of the original rhyme, which replicates the soothing rhythms of the source material. . . . Mulazzini’s mixed-media paintings play right into the safe, secure mood. Her softly flowing shapes, subdued palette, and quirky details create the sense of a dreamscape.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review“Ashman's fresh take on the classic lullaby ‘Rock-A-Bye, Baby’ first expands upon and then addresses the nonsensical aspects of the verses. . . . A succession of increasingly silly resting or play scenarios for baby. . . . Mulazzani's mixed-media art indulges in delightful decorative details. . . . A fine addition to the nursery bookshelf for baby and all.”
—Kirkus Reviews“Soothing, dreamy art . . . keeps the dark palette and wild adventure from feeling threatening with its friendly animals and personified sun, moon, and occasional trees all keeping watch over the baby. This gently rhyming adventure provides a new take on a classic lullaby that may calm caregivers troubled by lyrics of babies falling from treetops.”
—School Library Journal“Ashman and Mulazzani have breathed twenty-first-century life into this well-know lullaby. The bustling mixed-media illustrations give a modern feel to the rhyming text, which flows easily from page to page. . . . While there is plenty of action here, the soft pastels and blue-green color scheme give the story a sleepy feel. Touches of patterned paper add visual spark.”
—Booklist
