Grandfather Twilight Book by Barbara Berger

I wanted to share a wonderful book find by a marvelous and magical author/illustrator named Barbara Berger. If you haven't read any of her books, I would highly recommend running to your nearest library or bookstore post haste! I have not seen such fantastical illustrations and soft, gentle story lines in quite some time.

It seems her most well known book is Grandfather Twilight. It is an incredible story about an old man who transitions the dusk into night with the placement of the moon over the sea. It is a soothing bedtime story read, sure to send the youngest children to slumberland with an easy peace. Here is a link to a description of how she came to write it and a few reviews of it: http://www.bhberger.com/children/books/bks_gt.htm

We also have checked out two others from the library which haven't disappointed.

"A Lot of Otters" is a story about Mother Moon, who has lost her baby (Moonlet) in a Sea of Otters. Her tears fall like stars into the waters and are caught by the otters who surround her baby and call her attention to the found child by the surrounding light of the stars. Mother Moon lovingly cradles her found baby in a tender reunion.

And "When the Sun Rose" is a dreamy book about a girl and her imaginary playfriend, who arrives in a yellow rose carriage, pulled by a handsome lion. The girls play together and share a beautiful friendship, culminating in the creation of a rainbow painting, before the rose friend must go, to come again another day. Just precious! It left me in tears.

She has many more stories out there - ("The Donkey's Dream", "Thunder Bunny" "All the Way to Lhasa: a Tale from Tibet", and others). Just finding these three gems makes me want to purchase all the books by this creative author (oh if only the funds were endless!). She taps into the imagination and fantasy world with such effortless ease that it never feels contrived or that she is selling out on a quick trend. She's quickly moved up to become one of, if not my very favorite young children's author... I can see why her books tug at not only the hearts of children, but adults, as well - especially those who have not lost touch with the imagination of their childhood.

And when the night comes and my babies have shared in one of Ms. Berger's gentle stories, they are off to a peaceful slumber, full of magical journeys, beginning in their dreams...(now if only they would stay asleep for the entire night :)







(zzzzzzz...)