Cricket Song

Anne Hunter has been writing and illustrating children’s books since 1996, all of which have been beautiful. Cricket Song , her latest book, is a soothing bedtime story that connects nature, geography, and children. By incorporating the sounds of crickets, frogs, owls, and other animals with the sights and smells of evening, the book delights the senses.

The story begins with a child tucked into bed and on the verge of sleep. The night sounds waft into the room via the night breeze. As the story progresses, the landscape enlarges to include another sleeping child on a different continent. Although the breeze at that location is carrying slightly different sounds, the continuity is comforting and serves to remind us that we share common experiences with people in faraway places. The soft, gentle illustrations are sure to lull children, and any adult readers, into a state of total relaxation. In addition to the primary illustrations, a small horizontal landscape illustration appears on several pages, further displaying the geographic connection between the two children.

Although the book is written for preschoolers and very young readers, I recommend it for anyone who wants a time-out from the hectic, harsh adult world.