SEA OF SLEEP

A mother and baby otter make their way to the water for a relaxing bedtime swim as they observe the magic of the night sea. They gaze at the moon, the stars and the dolphins and listen to the waves. Hanson’s cascading, repeating verse moves as rhythmically as the gentle waves he describes: “The Sea of Sleep is calm tonight. / Calm and still. / Her quiet ripples tiptoe on the shore, / Kissing quickly, / Then run away again, / Slipping swiftly back across the sand, / Carrying away the footprints of the day.” The otters couldn’t be cuter as they nestle together and float on the water cradled by “The Sea of Sleep,” personified as a goddess-like figure with willows in her hair. Every statement applied to the actual ocean nicely mirrors the experience of falling into a deep sleep. LaMarche’s misty images evoke the dreamy essence of the dark ocean with lush blues and glowing whites. Perhaps a tad overwritten at times but peacefully lulling—adult readers may find themselves drifting off with their little ones. (Picture book. 3-6)