HERE COMES THE NIGHT

The veteran Rockwell offers a soft and beautifully constructed bedtime story with a lovely series of hand-printed monotypes—single prints on pale blue paper—for her illustrations. The colors are amiable, from pale pinks and peaches to bold yellows to deep evening indigos. A mom, her boy and his (live) dog and (stuffed) bear come home in the evening, bearing sunflowers. Then it’s time for a bath, teeth brushing, story and song, as the mother moves to soft whispering and tucking in, even as she explains, “dark is all the green” and shadows are the next-door cat coming home. Even the dog’s eyes are closing, as mom leads him downstairs where he curls up in the kitchen near the vase of sunflowers. The illustrations look unforced but are arranged with great subtlety of shape and design. Don’t miss the boy’s red bunny slippers or the golden yellow smiley-face dog toy. A wonderful addition to the venerable sleepy-time tradition. (Picture book. 3-6)