|
|
|
|
The
Babysitter
SiNgs
illustrated
by
Mélisande Potter
Holt,
2004
|
*Bank
Street’s
Best Children’s Books, 2005
*Starred
review,
Kirkus
|
| From
the book jacket: |
|
Baby
cheeps like a bird,
and
I know why.
When
Mama
and Papa go out,
Baby
starts to cry.
It’s hard
when Mama and Papa leave home. You
want to go with them. You want them
to stay. You want to know just when
they’ll return; and still, it’s not
soon enough. But there’s lots of fun
to be had with a loving babysitter
on the watch. Just listen as she
sings playful, comforting songs.
Listen, listen and know "Mama’s
coming home. Papa won’t be long.
Hush, little bird. I’ll sing you one
more song.”
With
nursery-rhyme images pulled from
traditional lullabies of Africa,
Spain, and Caribbean islands, this
soothing picture book reassures
young children that Mama and Papa
will indeed be back home soon.
|
| A
little about the book: |
So many friends, family, and editors
helped with this project! It started
out as a collection of lullabies,
some of which my husband translated,
and then it eventually evolved, with
Christy Ottaviano at the helm, into
a picture book. I discovered along
the way how rich and varied slumber
songs are, and how many of them are
sung by babysitters, and also how
very important lullabies are not
only in soothing fussy babies but
allowing caregivers to express their
feelings. Lullabies offer insight
into the differences and
similarities of cultures around the
world.
Interestingly, researchers have come
to the conclusion that babies hear
music in the womb and that infant
brains are predisposed to a
universal musical structure. In
fact, said researcher Sandra Trehub:
“The very existence of music and
important aspects of its structure
may stem from the relevance of music
to infants.”
So, when a
baby is born, and cries, and cries
some more, music is born-- simple,
singsong, and rhythmic. Some of the
words might be meaningless--la la
la, lu lu lu, yo yo yo, but some
might also describe the realities of
a daily life filled with danger,
toil, and poverty, or a caregiver’s
hopes, dreams, impatience, worry,
fear, anger, sadness, tenderness,
love....
Listen to a touching lullaby from The
Babysitter Sings and
other original lullabies on our CD: This is
the Day!
|
| From
the reviews: |
“Cheerful tropical pinks, yellows,
greens, and blues enliven this
charming Caribbean nursery tale. A
loving babysitter sings to her young
charge, trying to keep him cheerful
when Mama and Papa go away....A white
bird, with babies in a nest, flits in
and out of the pictures, one of many
details...that toddlers will delight
in spying. Young children and their
parents, too, will enjoy this
reassuring rhythmical tale.” Kirkus,
starred review
“Done in ink and gouache, the
brightly hued paintings give the book
an appealing tropical island setting.
The text’s reassuring tone and the
dazzling artwork make this offering a
gem to share with little ones
experiencing separation anxiety.” School
Library Journal
“Gershator smoothly integrates bits of
traditional lullabies from Africa,
Spain, and the Caribbean into original
verse in this tribute to babysitters.
Perfectly paired text and pictures
follow baby and caregiver through a
full day of games and songs,
intermingling images from the rhymes;
the seemless transitions in the text
mean readers won’t miss a bet....As
Mama and Papa return under a deep
purple sky, baby and sitter snuggle
close, eyes closed--a quiet moment at
last. The book celebrate this
undersung relationship while providing
a bedtime resource sure to please
little eyes and ears.” Horn
Book
|
|
|
|
|
