I love books that feature songs. There is something very satisfying about singing a book as you enjoy the illustrations. Many times the pictures suggest new meanings to me. Other times I find my own feelings expressed in color and shape.
Are You Sleeping? By Debbie Trafton O’Neal depicts a family outing to the beach. Each double page spread illustrates one line of the verse. Ms O’Neal adds a second verse about God’s love and care through the night. Although the book is published by the Lutheran Augsburg Publishing House, the song and story could be enjoyed by worshippers of other religious faiths.
Benrei Huang, a Taiwanese born author and illustrator of children’s books, has created bright, happy scenes of a family at home and at play. Ms Huang has said of herself:
Being the third child among four in my family, the naughty one and a bookworm in the same time, I made my career a children’s book writer and illustrator after college so that I could be playful and doing something with books in the same time.
This book is completed with craft activities, accompanying hand motions, and the sheet music for anyone who wants to add a musical accompaniment.
Check the WRL catalog for Are You Sleeping?
