Baby's Boat

From Publishers Weekly In this bedtime book, a baby sails a sea of sleep--rumpled sheets--in an infant-sized boat in front of an Easter-egg purple starred sky: "Sail, baby, sail / Out upon that sea, / Only don't forget to sail / Back again to me." Baby fishes for dreams, and eventually does fall asleep. Baby and the various props--teddy bear, toy fish, large spoon--are palpably lifelike, and the scene has an incandescent, soft-edged feel. Unfortunately, the strong conceptual focus of Titherington's work in such titles as Pumpkin, Pumpkin and A Place for Ben is missing, and this lullaby comes across as a rather slight and saccharine offering. Also, the text is clumsy in places, as in "Her line a silver moonbeam is." Though the narrator's sentiments will tug at parental heartstrings, the very young may not comprehend them. Ages 3-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal PreSchool-- Quite simply, this is one of the best bedtime books to come along in years. The simple, soothing words and rhythms of this traditional lullaby describe a baby sailing over a sea of sleep in a silver moon boat, fishing with a star for bait. This is poetry that has been repeated through generations of parents and babies. The colored-pencil illustrations are no less outstanding. Done in pastels, with twilight shades of purple and lavender predominating, they are at once realistic and dreamlike. In each, a chubby infant plays in her boat on a sea of bedclothes, accompanied by an intrepid teddy bear. A few words of text appear in large, clear type on each facing page, enclosed with a lavender border. Large margins frame the text and illustrations to create a clean, open look. Although aimed at a different audience than Chris Van Allsburg's Polar Express (Houghton, 1985), Baby's Boat is equally beautiful, and just as timeless in its appeal. --Lucy Young Clem, Evansville Vanderburgh County Public Library, INCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.