MERBABY'S LULLABY

A mermother sings her merbaby to sleep in the age-old tradition of mothers and babies.

A wealth of words and phrases related to sleep characterizes this gentle bedtime song: “hush,” “sleep,” “close your eyes and dream,” “peace,” “nap,” “rock,” “shush.” The ocean-themed vocabulary is just as rich: “foam rocker,” “wave maker,” “tide breaker,” “sea talker,” “pond wader,” “deep diver,” “shell keeper.” In furthering the enticement to sleep, promises are made: “Waves will rock you”; “Whales will sing you”; “Sea stars a soft light will bring you.” The full-bleed illustrations, done in what appears to be colored pencil, have a gentleness to them that goes hand in hand with the text, the palette employing plenty of blues as befits an ocean theme. Merbaby can be seen playing with a dolphin, swimming with an otter, racing waves with fish, enjoying a coral reef, observing a tide pool, and just swimming with its mother. In the end, goal achieved and merbaby’s eyes closed, mermother plants a kiss on ocean-tussled hair “Be your finny mother’s sleeper.” Mermother and baby have pale skin, wavy blue/black hair, and golden, fish-scale tails.

A soothing lullaby for a merbaby—or a human one.