HUSH-A-BYE NIGHT

A family experiences the coming of evening on the shores of Lake Superior.

This colorful, simple tale combines a rhyming narrative with a repeating “hush-a-bye” refrain: “Hush-a-bye, sun. / Hush hush-a-bye, sky.” “Hush-a-bye, eaglets. / Hush-a-bye, nest.” As the text singsongs, the full-page, double-spread illustrations show the Lake Superior shore, each page turn highlighting various animals and plants that inhabit the area as the sun slowly sets, the sky and water change color, and the family settles in to roast marshmallows. While the rhythm may be calming, it doesn’t breathe anything new into the genre. An iteration of the iconic Goodnight Moon, it lacks that story’s nuance and magic. While competent enough, the illustrations merely reflect the text rather than extending it. Overall, the story lacks sparkle, and it’s hard to see how it will appeal to readers not already familiar with the shores of Lake Superior. But by all means, take this book on a family camping trip to the shores of Lake Superior, especially for going-to-sleep reading. A brief field guide at the end of the book offer more information about the plants and animals mentioned within. One of the parents depicted is light-skinned and blond, while the other is brown-skinned and black-haired; their children are black-haired and brown-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Will appeal to readers who know and love Lake Superior.