Toddler-PreS—Sunset signals the end of play for two Black boys and that it's time to head home and settle in for the night: "Summer day / play done / gold gold sun down." Crickets chirp and fireflies light their way along the path. The mother of one boy welcomes them both with ice cream cones before sending the other off to his own home. Then it is time to deal with the mess. Sinking into the bubble bath for a dust-busting soak, the boy gazes out the window toward the night sky, while the full moon, center stage, provides a glow that envelopes everything below. Mama dries the boy in thick towels and spreads cocoa butter on his limbs, and off he goes to bed with the moon still beaming over him. This loving poem shines in text and art. From the sky of early evening to the arrival of the stars and moon, the art glows throughout. VERDICT A soft, lovely board book that will provide a calming, peaceful read before bedtime. Little ones will enjoy the feeling of safety infused in this work.—Joan Kindig, James Madison Univ., Harrisonburg, VA

Ruth Forman is the author of bestselling children’s books Curls, Glow, Bloom, Ours, One, and Like So, as well as award-winning poetry collections We Are the Young Magicians and Renaissance.

Publisher: Little Simon
Author: Ruth Forman
Illustrator: Geneva Bowers
ISBN: 978-1534446335
Size (H x W): 6x6.5
Weight: 2.31 pounds
Cover Type: Board Book
Number of Pages: 26
Language: English
Date Published: 2021-05-04