conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me a description for a story titled Rock-a-bye Baby about Rock-a-bye, Toddler-PreSthe, Baby/on with the genre: Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Toddler-PreSthe author updates the nursery rhyme with a cast of animal characters putting their own babies to sleep in various places throughout a tree. While the first page starts with the familiar refrain of "Rock-a-bye Baby/on the treetop,/when the wind blows the cradle will rock," the illustration is of a full-branched knotty tree, complete with all of the animals and insects that will appear on future page spreads. An orange-hued squirrel cradles her baby in her arms as a watchful robin checks on its chick that is tucked in the nest. Anthropomorphized creatures such as smiling butterflies, spiders, and snakes are located in different parts of the tree with their slumbering tots. Acrylic painted pictures stretch corner to corner across spreads of warm yellows, tawny tans, and mossy greens with plenty of textured brush strokes and strong black outlines. The story ends with a slumbering newborn baby with brown skin being cradled by dad: "Rock-a-bye Baby,/WHAT A BEAUTIFUL TREE!/Sleep now, my darling,/HAPPY as can be." VERDICT A sweet bedtime selection for libraries where the author's other titles are routinely checked out.Lisa Kropp, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Give me a description for a story titled Rock-A-Bye Baby about Traverse, Reed, PreS-In with the genre: Children's Books, Growing Up & Facts of Life.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: PreS-In this expanded version of the familiar nursery rhyme, each new verse follows the pattern of the original. While tension exists in the traditional rhyme, the author ignores all sense of peril. The cradle lands safely, immediately slides into a stream, and is carried away (unbeknownst to Mom, who's busy reading). After a brief nap, baby awakens to find his teddy bear, which is his size, in his lap. They amble on without a care until birds carry the cradle back past the mountain to Mom. Despite the author's efforts to lull readers into a sense of security, children won't fall for the ruse. The monotony and sticky sweet sentimentality of the text create an experience that is both dull and artificial. The arts-and-crafts scenery changes, but nothing else does. The collage illustrations help give the story some texture. Watercolor paint is used for backgrounds and the head and hands of the baby. Leaves and foliage are created with cut speckled paper along with twigs, bark, and dried grasses. The furry bear, with his purple-flowered neck bow, often has more dimension than the baby. Even with palpable elements added to the art, the story still feels unnatural, stripped of the truth inherent in the original verse.<I>-Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI</I> <BR>Copyright &copy; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.