I Will Keep You Safe and Sound - Hardcover

Lori Haskins Houran is the author of several books for children, including TOO MANY DOGS and TOO MANY CATS. She was formerly a children's book editor, and now lives in Palm Beach, Florida, with her two young children.

Petra Brown has illustrated several children's books including IF BIG CAN...I CAN. She lives in North Wales, United Kingdom. Find her website at www.petrabrown.co.uk.

PreS-Essentially a short illustrated poem, this title depicts beatifically smiling baby animals and their grown-ups cuddling in their dens, nests, and other dwellings-"Gators in the shade/While the sun burns high/Squirrels in the log/While the hawk sails by," etc. On each spread, a full-page illustration of the animals faces two lines of the poem in large black font, with a smaller illustration under it. The refrain, "I will keep you safe and sound," lends a soothing, lullabylike cadence, while watercolor and pencil illustrations create a sleepy, calm atmosphere. This cozy somnolence is temporarily disturbed by a lost kitten that is immediately found by the mama cat. The reassuring message of this book-that parents are there to care for and protect their offspring-as well as the large illustrations and spare text, will appeal to a very young audience. A sweet but additional choice.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.