The Little Boy Who Cried Himself to Sea

This story, about a little boy who didn’t want to go to sleep, is aimed at those in the pre-school age group who might need a little encouragement at nap time. The little boy cries himself to sleep and his tears form a sea on which he sails to a friendly fantasy land where he plays with the birds and the fish and the creatures of the sea, until his mother comes to safely tow him “back to his very own room.”

The illustrations are charming and lively; black-and-white line drawings with a touch of blue for the water. They are very sophisticated imitations of the way five to seven year olds draw things — delightful in their childlike gaiety and insouciance for perspective and realism. Fernandes uses the cliches of child drawings to construct her world: human bodies made of joined together rectangles, cartwheel suns, birds whose legs dangle wildly as they fly, and a very nice cat who, no matter from what perspective he is viewed, splays out all his four legs and tail like the fingers of a hand.

The illustrations, which are full of lively movement and detail, will stimulate the child to examine the pages while the story is being read to him and will provide friendly fantasies for him to ponder while he takes his nap.