GOOD NIGHT ENGINES

This little charmer is clearly intended for the vehicle-obsessed toddler. As a young boy plays with his cars, trucks, planes, and trains, the bedtime theme emerges with: “Sunset glowing in the west. / Engine slowing, / wheels at rest.” In savory, rich colors, the most striking of which are the deep plums and cobalt blues, Iwai’s illustrations are meticulous. The settings alternate from realistic, life scenes of, say, a plane landing on a runway (perhaps the boy’s imaginative vision) with that of the boy holding the toy plane aloft. The little tyke’s bedroom is a pleasant jumble of toys that make up the backdrop of his play with blocks, stuffed animals, jacks, and all manner of conveyance. Mortensen has written just enough text to engage the sleepy child while the soothing cadence will help ease the youngster into a contented slumber. (Picture book. 2-5)