LILAH TOV GOOD NIGHT

 

Ben Gundersheimer, Illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan

Picture Book, Nancy Paulson Books, 2020 

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A soothing Hebrew lullaby takes on added meaning for a refugee family in this visually stunning debut.

As the moon rises, a family steps into the night on a journey toward a new beginning. Along the way, their little girl delights in the wonders of nature, saying good night--lilah tov--to the creatures and landscapes they pass. Wherever she looks--on land, in the sky above and even, eventually, in the water below her boat--there are marvels to behold. "Lilah tov to the birds in the trees, lilah tov to the fish in the sea." Then, when their travels are finally over, her parents tuck her in tight, safe and ready for dreams in their new home.

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Rights Sold:

World: Penguin/Nancy Paulsen

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Reviews:

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“As the sun sets and the moon rises, an unnamed young child says good night to everything in the natural landscape. . . . Simple, brief, descriptive text. . . . Lush, detailed, soft-edged landscapes provide another, deeper, and more nuanced level to the proceedings. . . . The protagonist is saying good night to the creatures and places spotted on what readers will see as a lengthy journey. . . . At the end of their travels there is a new home awaiting them. They travel quietly and surreptitiously. . . . Each young reader will interpret the work differently depending on individual understanding and knowledge of history, or perhaps with a wise adult to help. Haunting and beautiful.”—Kirkus Reviews

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