Morning Has Broken - Softcover

``Morning has broken/like the first morning,/Blackbird has spoken/like the first bird.'' So begins the hymn--better known as a Cat Stevens song--written for children by Farjeon in 1931. Ladwig's inventive watercolor illustrations are a feast of light and shadow, flooded with sunlight, sparkling water, birds, plants, and animals as a small boy and his grandfather celebrate the morning. A close-up illustration of a blackbird singing opens the book; the bird continues to reappear--in a tree outside the boy's window as he wakes up, reflected in the boy's eyes as he looks at the dew on the grass, perched on a stone angel's wing in a park fountain. The perspective constantly changes: A view of the boy launching a feather from the porch also reveals a forgotten baseball in the gutter. In another--one of the most effective--the boy and grandfather appear reflected in the fountain's pool, affection shining on their faces. Farjeon's verses, with references to the ``Word,'' ``His feet,'' and ``Eden,'' may be too religious for some, but those who share her sentiments will find this a glowing paean to creation. (Picture book. 6-10) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Kindergarten-Grade 3-Farjeon's beautiful poem was written in praise of the Creator, based on Psalm 118, Verse 24, which reads "This is the day that the Lord hath made." It actually is a hymn (the music is appended) that was first published in 1931 and has also been recorded as a popular song. Now it appears as a picture book celebrating the beauty of nature, a close intergenerational relationship, and the interconnectedness of all life. The illustrations, in warm colors suffused with morning light, depict the universal experience evoked by Farjeon's words as a boy and his grandfather share a day in the park. The text conveys an important and uplifting message but will probably need some adult interpretation. In spite of one rain scene that seems inserted somewhat gratuitously into an otherwise sunny day, leaving the boy quite dry afterwards, this is a harmonious marriage of text and illustrations that can speak to children and adults on many levels.
Sue Norris, Rye Free Reading Room, NY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.