A Lullaby of Summer Things

In the spirit of such bedtime favorites as Emily Winfield Martin's Day Dreamers, here is a quintessential end-of-day by the beach lovingly captured and perfect for reading aloud.

This simple, lyrical picture book is as warm, reassuring, and filled with joy as a vacation at the beach. Readers will join a little girl and her siblings as they wind down from a perfect day--hanging up towels, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed--each activity sparking a memory of their day--playing catch with the dog, chasing waves, and looking at sailboats along the shore. And when the lights of the family beach house go off--"In the dusky evening light, a sleepy house says goodnight"--young listeners will be lulled to sleep themselves.

In addition to writing, Natalie Ziarnik works as a children's librarian. She lives with her family in Barrington, Illinois, which is much too far away from the ocean. Learn more about her at natalieziarnik.com and on Twitter at @NatalieZiarnik.

Madeline Valentine is the author-illustrator of three books: George in the Dark, The Bad Birthday Idea, and, most recently, I Want That Nut! A graduate of Pratt Institute, she lives in Queens, New York, with her husband. Learn more about her at madelinevalentine.com and on Twitter at @illustrated_gal.