“The sun is sinking low, my darling, the birds are in their nests. And you have spent the day exploring, so now it’s time to rest. …”.
This is the opening stanza of a soothing lullaby created by Brisbane Couple Natasha and Jack Carty.
The characteristically Australian cover immediately drew me to this book and the endpapers, filled with native flowers, prepare you for Natasha’s style of illustration. She depicts the day coming to a close in the bush and ocean with the light in the sky and its reflection on the characters. The painted images have enough detail to capture the essence of the characters, whilst expressing the calming nature of the scene. Owning an award-winning greeting card company and creating graphical props and set dressings for TV and film, she is obviously skilled in extracting emotion with her images.
Jack Carty (musician and author) has written the lyrics for this loving lullaby with a comforting rhyme and cadence. The portrayal of native animals preparing for sleep gently leads to settling the child for sleep. As I was reading the words, I felt a discrepancy in the rhythm, so listened to Jack Carty performing “Time to Rest” on YouTube. It is enchanting though I noticed that two phrases of text were repeated in the book that are not in the performance.
This gentle, illustrated lullaby is an endearing book and would be a lovely gift to a new parent or carer. If the reader can sing, it would be a lovely way to share this story. If not, playing Jack Carty singing it on YouTube would lull any restless little one to sleep.
“The sun is sinking low, my darling, the birds are in their nests. And you have spent the day exploring, so now it’s time to rest. …”.
