Day Is Done

As night falls, animal and human parents everywhere tenderly tuck their children into bed. In the darkness, each child—raccoon, doe, rabbit, field mouse, and a little boy—wonders: Will I be safe? Will you be there for me? And every mommy and daddy responds with the comforting words of Yarrow’s refrain: “I am here.”

Caldecott Honor-winning artist Melissa Sweet has created gorgeous images that celebrate the loving bond between parent and child, as well as the connection between all creatures of the earth.

Peter Yarrow follows the blockbuster success of Puff, the Magic Dragon with a picture book version of his beautiful song, “Day Is Done.”

As night falls, animal and human parents everywhere tenderly tuck their children into bed. In the darkness, each child—raccoon, doe, rabbit, field mouse, and a little boy—wonders: Will I be safe? Will you be there for me? And every mommy and daddy responds with the comforting words of Yarrow’s refrain: “I am here.”

Caldecott Honor-winning artist Melissa Sweet has created gorgeous images that celebrate the loving bond between parent and child, as well as the connection between all creatures of the earth.

Publishers Weekly

Caldecott Honor artist Sweet (A River of Words: The Life of William Carlos Williams) effectively uses animal parent and child pairs to lighten the hopeful yet somber message of Yarrow’s (Puff, the Magic Dragon) folk song, which he first performed with the trio Peter, Paul and Mary. Watercolor and mixed-media art reveals members of each animal family tenderly gazing into each others’ eyes in placid woodland settings shown in cool earth tones punctuated by shocks of brilliant color: scarlet berries, magenta lily pads, crimson toadstools. Together, the animals eventually approach a house in which a father lovingly tucks his son into bed. The boy’s bright yellow room exudes comfort, and even when storm clouds threaten, there’s no real menace in any of Sweet’s depictions of nature; yet in concert with Yarrow’s verse, the overall effect is somewhat haunting. A CD tucked into the back cover features Yarrow and his daughter Bethany singing “Day Is Done” (plus two traditional songs, “I Know Where I’m Going” and “Dona Dona Dona,” with new words and music by the author). Ages 3–7. (Oct.)

Peter Yarrow is a member of the iconic ’60’s folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary. Along with Lenny Lipton, he is the author of the beloved song and now hit book Puff, the Magic Dragon. In addition to extensive touring and performing, Peter is active in Operation Respect, an organization that promotes anti-bullying awareness in schools across the country.