Hush Little Baby

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

In her reworking of the classic lullaby, Long intentionally de-emphasizes the materialism of the original, making no promises of such grand gifts as a diamond ring or horse and cart. Rather, this Mama character-one of Long's (illustrator of Ten Little Rabbits) familiar, gentle bunnies-comforts her cotton-tailed child with vows to share the sound of cricket calls and a song on her banjo, the sight of a shooting star and the harvest moon and, finally, "As that moon drifts through the sky,/ Mama's going to sing you a lullaby." Blending images of nature with such timelessly reassuring items as teddy bear and picture book, Long's song is gracious if not especially inventive. The art, meanwhile, is both soothing and diverting. While the audience (like Mama's cooperative offspring) may well find their eyelids growing heavy, they will be happily distracted by the pictures' fetching particulars: a patchwork quilt displaying miniature renditions of objects mentioned in the lullaby and, on the bedside table, a book illustration that hints that this sleepy rabbit is reading the same book that they are. Ages up to 5. (Mar.) FYI: Notecards (set of 16, $9.95, ISBN 0-8118-1643-5) and a 10"-tall plush doll ($14.95, -1792-X) based on the book are being released simultaneously.

Kirkus Reviews

In a variant of the traditional lullaby, a mother rabbit draws on the natural world at the close of day for her young child's bedtime ritual.

Hummingbird, cricket, shooting star, and lightning bug are featured in the evening observances a mother makes for her child as shadows fall. After dark, the scenes move indoors, and the child's bedtime is prefaced with a story, a warm quilt, a teddy bear, and a song: "When that star has dropped from view, Mama's going to read a book with you. When that story has been read, Mama's going to bring you a warm bedspread." The artwork is cloned from Long's illustrations for Jonathan London's Liplap's Wish (1994, not reviewed), with her trademark rabbits frequently depicted in warm embraces. Star-studded pajamas, designer carrot curtains, and a patchwork quilt showing each story element make for a contemporary version of the "great green room" most children already know so well. A caveat: Squeamish children will not be soothed by the realistic depictions of the cricket and lightning bug mentioned in the song. The musical score is not included, but adults and listeners won't be able to refrain from humming or singing along.