Both picture books are Walker Books publications: thank you to the publishers for sending them for review.

It’s Time to Hush and say Goodnight
Chitra Soundar and Sandhya Prabhat

Inspired by old Indian lullabies, Chitra’s rhyming narrative and Sandhya’s nocturnal scenes that begin in a small child’s bedroom and then transport both the toddler and readers through lush dreamscapes – whistling caves, watery worlds, past weird and wonderful monsters, across the starry sky and more,

– as the parent’s words conjure wondrous images into a fabulous quilt of dreams. All the while as the illustrations show, the father is coping with a gamut of infant emotions before peace descends and all is quiet, the child sound asleep in bed in his father’s arms.

With its oft repeated refrain, ‘ Count the stars that twinkle bright. / It’s time to hush and say good night.’ this is a smashing book to share with a little one just before bedtime; it’s infused with love and the magical images of possibilities inspired by the interplay of the verbal and visual.

Our Gorgeous Baby
Smriti Halls and Eve Coy

The baby featured in Eve Coy’s illustrations certainly lives up to the title; she is truly adorable. Somewhat chunky, full of playful mischief, determined and very vocal in her own way, she beguiles those who don’t know her well. However, pay a visit to her loving family’s home and you will get a more realistic view of this ‘princess’. Meal times are an opportunity for mess making,

bathtime simply bubbles over and don’t even think she’ll allow family members to get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis. Nonetheless, it’s clear, mum, dad and big sister consider her an absolute treasure and I suspect, so too will readers of Smriti’s rhyming description of the infant, which was inspired by Shakespeare’s Sonnet 130.