Switching on the Moon: a Very First Book of Bedtime Poems

It is so unfortunate that the publishers (or whoever) made the decision to subtitle this book "A very first book of Bedtime Poems."  This gives the impression that the book is for toddlers.  Does this strike you as toddler fare?: When the bat's on the wing and the bird's in the tree,

Comes the old Starlighter, whom none may see,

First in the West, where the low hills are,

He touches his wand to the evening star,

Then swiftly he runs on his rounds on high

Till he's lit every lamp in the dark blue sky.

This is The Starlighter by Arthur Guiterman.  Isn't it lovely?  Of course, there are some sillier poems included as well, such as:

My bed is like a little boat

Floating out to sea.

And now it's like an island

with a coconut tree.

That is from My Bed by Tony Mitton. This poem will certainly be appreciated by toddlers and preschoolers, but every bit as much by 5, 6, 7, and 40-year-olds!  This is such a super collection of night poems--I love every one--selected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters.  Some are silly, some are wistful, some short, some longer.  It is just the right book for settling into bed at the end of the day. 

And I must mention the pictures, for me the BEST part of all!  In my opinion G. Brian Karas should have won the Caldecott Medal for this book.  Using his characteristic scribbly pencil drawings with plenty of color  Karas has created an absolutely magical world inside these pages.  I am going to start my Caldecott campaign for G. Brian Karas.  I have loved him ever since I first saw Muncha Muncha Muncha and Like Butter on Pancakes. Let me know if you agree!

Anyhow, you should check out Switching on the Moon, whether you are 2 or 100.  It is one of my favorite poetry books of all time, and that's saying something!