WHERE THE DEER SLIP THROUGH

Over the course of a day, various animals enter a farmyard and enjoy its manifold offerings.

Arriving as the pink clouds replace the stars, the deer enter through openings in the hedges and stone wall: “Nibble and nudge / and startle and dash / away off into the pines.” The text follows similar patterns as other creatures emerge from cracks and crevices to play or eat within the farm’s enclosure. Rabbits “tumble and twitch.” Doves “flurry and flap.” Howes’ lilting rhythm and rhymes flow effortlessly—a worthy accompaniment to Krommes’ signature scratchboard and watercolor compositions, filled with texture and teeming with details not mentioned in the text: flitting bees and butterflies, nesting birds, and a busy, light-skinned family of three doing chores (and, in the case of the child, sometimes imitating the animals). As the sky darkens again and bats appear, listeners are invited into the youngster’s room: “And this is the curtain that nighttime drew / between two days—the old and new.” The rich language and striking images encourage multiple readings, while the soothing, cumulative cadence creates a lovely bedtime experience. Sensitive children will soon absorb the alliterative text, possibly repeating it in real-life moments.

A visual and auditory delight.