Golden Oldies
These books are no longer available in most stores but they can sometimes be found online from resellers. I may have a few copies available upon request.
Click the plus sign to read more about each title.
BABY LOVE
by Hope Vestergaard
illustrated by John Wallace
Dutton Children’s Books
Sweet Dreams
Of all the places you can rest,
your favorite one is Daddy’s chest.
You tuck your head beneath his chin,
feel his breath and smell his skin.
Your cozy perch moves up and down,
up and down,
up and down.
Eyelids heavy, not a sound
as you drift off to sleep.
Reviews
From Publisher’s Weekly:
“With some fresh takes on a familiar theme, newcomer Vestergaard captures the nuances of life in this winsome collection of verse…Curly ribbons of pink and blue punctuated by baby accoutrements border each of Wallace’s (Flower Girl) softly rendered watercolors…Ending with an exhortation to “spoil those babies with one extra kiss,” these snapshots of an infant’s endearing moments will appeal to baby lovers of all ages.”
From Kirkus:
“A former teacher and nanny, Vestergaard crafts more than twenty odes to babies in her debut for children. Many speak from the siblings’ perspective…Others, such as “Two of a Kind,” focus on the special role of grandparents…With their musical beat, Vestergaard’s shorter poems (“Fancy Feet” and “Lunch,” for example) are bound to appeal to the youngest listeners.” Kirkus © 2002
DRIVING DADDY
by Hope Vestergaard
illustrated by Thierry Courtin
Dutton Children’s Books
WAKE UP, MAMA!
by Hope Vestergaard
illustrated by Thierry Courtin
Dutton Children’s Books
Reviews
From Booklist: “These pint-size companion books will delight active toddlers…The playful rhyming language is short and sweet, just right for the young target audience, and Courtin’s childlike illustrations are also on the mark, providing comforting scenes of tender family fun that youngsters will page through on their own.”
HELLO, SNOW!
by Hope Vestergaard
illustrated by Nadine Bernard Westcott
Melanie Kroupa Books
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Hello, morning . . .Goodbye, night. I see something cold and white!
Pull your clothes on—fast! Get ready to race outside, find a friend, and jump right into piles of white—HELLO, SNOW!
Reviews & News
~2005 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award Winner~
From Booklist:
“Always upbeat and often comical, the artwork captures and extends the joyful tone of the text….This is one winter picture book that lets you feel the snow. And irresistible addition to winter story hours.”
From Horn Book Magazine:
“New snow, that most joyful of childhood happenings, is celebrated in verse that will have young audiences chanting along by the second reading. Westcott propels the proceedings with spring-loaded, cartoony drawings and cheery colors. Just the thing after a spirited romp in the snow – or when everyone is wishing for one.”
From School Library Journal:
“The rhyming text uses simple language to highlight familiar activities. The cartoon illustrations are filled with action and humor and reflect the excitement of a snowy day.”
HILLSIDE LULLABY
by Hope Vestergaard
illustrated by Margie Moore
Dutton Children’s Books
In a house on a hillside,
a wild little child’s
not ready to close her eyes.
She burrows in blankets,
and talks to her toys,
and listens for lullabies.
Reviews
From Kirkus:
“Each night noise that may startle young children as they attempt to find sleep is attributed to nature-rustling in the leaves, frog croaks, etc. …The sweetly drawn animals tucked in tight for sleep will tempt even the wildest child to listen to his own hillside lullaby and give in to the Sandman. A must for every child with a window to the great outdoors and a heart that will listen to nature’s song.”
From Booklist:
“This gentle good-night story swings along with the rocking rhythm of a bedtime song…Children will easily recognize the animals’ procrastination techniques…luminous double-page images of starlit sky, deeply shadowed lawn, and sleepy animals evoke both the cozy comfort of bedtime and the dreamy mystery of the nighttime world.”
From School Library Journal:
“Tucked in her bed, the little girl hears the sounds of the nearby animals, as birds, raccoons, frogs, and deer settle their babies down and the crickets sing the creatures and the child to sleep… youngsters will enjoy nodding off with these gentle, twilight-hued images in their heads.”
LISTEN UP!
You can download a personal copy of the Hillside Lullaby song. (File size: 4.28 MB) Music by Ben Hill, performed by LaCretta Ross. Click this link: Hillside Lullaby Song to listen to the MP3 file.
I DON’T WANT TO CLEAN MY ROOM: A Mess of Poems About Chores
by Hope Vestergaard
illustrated by Carol Koeller
Dutton Children’s Books
On the Line
It’s summertime,
the weather’s fine
and we dry laundry on the line.
I find socks among the clothes and m-a-r-c-h them down the line in rows.
Grandma hangs the great big sheets.
They build my walls–
so fresh and sweet!
I stay there,
quiet as a mouse,
and play inside my laundry house.
Reviews
From Kirkus:
“Preschool teachers may find this collection useful for reinforcing basic housekeeping skills in the classroom, and parents might like to try the poems with their preschoolers as a way of focusing on the message of families working cooperatively.”
From Children’s Literature:
“Parents will enjoy sharing these poems with their youngsters and may actually get some cooperation with household tasks as a result. ”