Switching on the Moon: A very first book of bedtime poems

Switching on the Moon: A very first book of bedtime poems collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters illustrated by G. Brian Karas.

When I spied this scrumptious book at a recent charity book sale I knew it would be wonderful - Jane Yolen (you should know Owl Moon is one of my most favourite books of ALL time)  AND G. Brian Karas - a winning combination. This book was published in 2010 and it is now out of print but my copy is in mint condition and it only cost $2. Again I wonder why this book was sent to the book sale because surely it is a book to keep and treasure. It actually looks as though it has never even been opened.

All ninety pages are dominated by Karas’s twilight-hued images, with calm compositions that are interesting yet soothing. Orange Marmalade Books

Here are two of the poems from the collection of  60 gems which are organised into three sections - going to bed, Sweet Dreams and In the Night - by famous poets such as John Agard, Berlie Doherty, Eleanor Farjeon, Douglas Florian, Mary Ann Hoberman, Langston Hughes, Karla Kuskin, Wes Magee, Roger McGough, Tony Mitton, Sylvia Plath, Roger Stevens, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Kaye Umansky, Colin West and of course Jane Yolen herself. 

Sweet and Low by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Sweet and low, sweet and low,

         Wind of the western sea,

Low, low, breathe and blow,

         Wind of the western sea!

Over the rolling waters go,

Come from the dying moon, and blow,

         Blow him again to me;

While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,

         Father will come to thee soon;

Rest, rest, on mother's breast,

         Father will come to thee soon;

Father will come to his babe in the nest,

Silver sails all out of the west

         Under the silver moon:

Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.

Wonder by Andrew Fuesk Peters

I wonder at the stars by night

These little chandeliers of light

I wonder if in turn they see

The tiny spark that makes up me?

About her book Jane says: The book was just called NIGHTTIME POEMS for the longest while, until the editors insisted we find an actual title. And then, in a list of good lines from the poems, I picked out SWITCHING ON THE MOON and everyone agreed that was it. Andy chose the British poets, I the American poets, we all considered what was on offer and worked on the balance.Alas, as always, some of my favourite poems got dropped along the wayside. But that’s what making an anthology is all about—balance. Balance between serious and funny, between British and American, besides how many poems about a child’s teddy bear can we reasonably have in the mix? Illustrator Brian Karas was an inspired choice by the American editor. He simply draws (pun intended) all the disparate threads of the book together.

Here is the Kirkus review.

This is the perfect book to nudge the writers in my care to "collect" poems on a favorite topic and to write a few of their own.  For now, I'm going to savor it with my students... let the words float through our minds and fill the air for a bit... like incense... and let the beauty of their simple words linger in our hearts and minds for a bit." All-en-a-day's work

Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters have another volume of poetry for young children - this one is illustrated by Polly Dunbar.