I almost did not write a review for Nighttime Symphony by Timbaland, Christopher Myers and Kaa Illustration. As this picture book (out May 2019) is one of the books that make me think/say, “Book good. Read.” Of course, the Tarzan mentality only gets you so far.
The review needs to talk about the story: The sounds of the city lull a baby to sleep. Of course, they are loud sounds, soft sounds, unique sounds to the city. The father is telling, in lyrical text, this lullaby to his child.
The review needs to talk about the text: This is a poem and a song and something else. It is a story and it is a peek into the city. It moves you along quickly, but you need to slow the pace down and read each word. You see how and why the father calls this a lullaby.
The review needs to talk about the illustrations: The colors are soft, jazzy and the right mix of light and dark. They are smooth and move the story right along. The text and art create a jazz-song or jazz-poem. There are multitude of details that bring reality and the dreamworld together. Real images of the city are mixed in with images of the narrator’s child sleeping on the moon or floating down the street on a tiny boat watching the feet above them go by. There are details that might not seem important at first but tie into other things and popup throughout the story.
The review will end on this note: I am not sure when this is set. It has a feeling of Harlem 1920s to 1950s. It has a feeling of a more contemporary world. It is also a book that needs to be reread and fits most ages but aged 4 to 7 might work best. And, of course, perfect for adults as well.