Good Night, Laila Tov

January 23, 2012
On a camping vacation that takes two Jewish children and their parents from the beach, where “Tall grasses swayed. The salty air/ Was soft and still and everywhere,” to “a place so great and green,/ The deepest field we’ve ever seen,” the family savors the gifts of nature and the rewards of environmental stewardship. (Mom and Dad have even brought along some trees to plant.) And in return, the whole world offers a kind of thanks and blessing that becomes Snyder’s (Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher) refrain: “And the sky sang... Good night, laila tov.” Ishida (Somewhere So Sleepy) portrays a world that’s all soft, lush colors and comfy, cushy contours. Her sunset scenes, which find the siblings sleeping while their parents set up camp, are perhaps a little too similar to those taking place in broad daylight (and some readers may wonder why the children spend so much of their vacation asleep). But the warmly lit spreads and loving, rosy-cheeked family are a nice match for Snyder’s simple, lulling verse. Ages 3–6. Agent: Tina Wexler, ICM.

December 15, 2011
The wonder of the natural world becomes more meaningful through active engagement with it. A young family's camping vacation makes two significant overnight stops, one at the seaside and one further inland in a lush green field. As parents set up tents, brother and sister feel the hot sand, marvel at the wide waves, breathe in the salty air and hear the wind's English/Hebrew whisper of "good night, laila tov." Similarly, while parents plant new tree seedlings in the field, children gather berries, are awed by field mice, surprised by bees and ultimately fall asleep to the rhythmic pattern of rain that mimics the "good night, laila tov" message. Bright, often full double-page scenes in deeply rich, opaque hues on textured paper bring out the natural essence of this sweet bedtime piece told in lilting rhyme. "We drove out to the oceanside. / The sand was hot. The waves were wide. / Tall grasses swayed. The salty air / Was soft and still and everywhere." The continual assurance of its repetitive refrain, found on every other page, complements the theme of caring for nature's beauty. Though the Judaic concept of tikkun olam, or repairing the world, is not explicitly stated within the text, it pervades the whole. A wholesome and gentle story that's pleasant and soothing for little ones of all faiths, though it will have extra resonance in Jewish households. (Picture book. 2-4)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

March 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 1-A family embarks on a camping trip, traveling by car to a beach, a meadow, and a forest. Each night the children are lulled to sleep by the sounds of the waves, the sky, the rain, and the road, with the repeated English and Hebrew refrain, "Good night, laila tov...." But, when they return home, it is their parents who fall asleep exhausted on the couch. The text is lyrical and poetic, and the bright illustrations blend realism with whimsy, brilliantly depicting the beauty and serenity that the children discover in nature. Despite the small hints at the family's Jewish heritage-a Star of David necklace, a tzedakah (charity) box, a menorah-the inclusion of the Hebrew phrase is irrelevant. It could have just as easily been in any other language or left out entirely. With lighthearted elements of humor ("We stopped for dinner, stopped to see...Stopped again so I could pee"), the book takes readers on an inspiring, well-written, rhyming journey.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2011
Preschool-G A brother and sister wake up in the morning and head out with their parents to the oceanside. There are waves and fields and rain. As the children explore the natural world, their parents, in Jewish tradition, plant trees. And throughout, the natural world whispers, good night, laila tov. Laila tov is Hebrew for good night, but no matter what the language, children may wonder why the phrase is repeated when most of the action is happening during the day (although the children are seen lying down, resting, or napping). The rhyming text sometimes reaches: We stopped for dinner, stopped to see . . . / Stopped again so I could pee. But what appeals here is the warm sense of family and the homage to nature's creatures, its landscapes, and even its storms. Throughout, there are signs of Judaism: a Jewish star necklace, a charity box, a menorah. The thickly painted art that fills the pages alternates between lively and quiet as the story progresses and provides plenty for children to look at in successive viewings.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)