Thank you, Readertotz, for highlighting this gorgeous video of one of my favorite singers, Andrea Bocelli, singing Sesame Street’s Elmo to sleep with a variation on one of his most well-known songs – very sweet and funny at the same time!

It also made me think of all those picture books where the baby just won’t go to sleep – like Hush! A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho, illustrated by Holly Meade (Orchard Books, 2000).

With our present focus on literacy and my avowal that it’s never to soon to start sharing a bedtime story, I feel it is time I put the spotlight on a book for that early age-group. In her last post on the Tiger’s Bookshelf, Janet asked about first bedtime stories and there are a couple of stories there to make you smile. When my two were small, I used to like finding stories that ended with everyone, especially the baby, going to sleep – hint, hint…

It took me a few moments to make the connection between Hush! – A Thai Lullaby (Scholastic, 2000) and The Clay Marble, the Tiger’s Choice for August, but as soon as I realised that they shared Minfong Ho as their author, it seemed too serendipitous to ignore and I knew it would have to be this week’s choice! It also offers a slightly subversive take on the let’s-get-baby-to-sleep ending since by the end of this one, everyone else is asleep except baby…

All the animals mother asks to hush make their noises in Thai, which children will find intriguing as well as fun to imitate. It’s a beautifully written book and the multi-layered illustrations by Holly Meade are also stunning (read reviews here). It could have the desired effect of settling little ones down to a good night’s sleep – but it could equally well raise a triumphant chortle and give the grown-ups a chance to snatch a few moments of shut-eye, even if it is just to be pounced upon and rudely awakened!

What special books do you recommend as bedtime stories for babies and toddlers?

An invitation to attend an informal reception at the International Youth Library stand, “to chat and to browse the 2008 White Ravens catalog,” came before we went to Bologna, and the appointment immediately made it to the top of our list of places to be and people to see.

The lovely and well-attended gathering took place on the third day of the fair and, indeed, we had a chance to chat and meet face to face with Claudia Soffner, one of the International Youth Library’s language specialists who help select the titles that go into the White Ravens annual catalog. Their selection of noteworthy titles points children to books that foster intercultural understanding and offer an expanded vision of the world – one that addresses its scale and complexity.

Since 2002 PaperTigers has been familiar with the goal of promoting cross-cultural understanding through books, so it was wonderful to encounter so many like-minded folks under one stand’s roof. I can think of few things that are more important, in this day and age, than teaching and inspiring our children to understand and respect each other.

The International Youth Library, started by Jella Lepman in 1949, is the largest in the field of children’s and young adult literature. With nearly 600,000 titles in more than 130 languages, it is an internationally recognized centre of study that collects, documents and effectively promotes international literature for children. The library’s international outreach efforts include conferences, a scholarship program and a broad selection of traveling exhibits, such as “Children Between Worlds: Intercultural Relations in Books for Children and Young Adults” and “Hello, Dear Enemy! Picture Books for Peace and Tolerance.” Permanent collections of the IBBY Honour List books are also kept at the library.

Since 1983 the IYL has been housed at the Blutenburg Castle, a 15th century construction located west of Munich, in Germany. If you find yourself around that part of the world during your travels, make sure to stop by for a visit. The library’s vast collection, lively events and idyllic surroundings should make for a magical and enlightening experience.

White Ravens’ titles up until 2007 can be found online, at the International Children’s Digital Library‘s website. Catalogs can also be requested via the IYL’s website. Some of the English titles selected for the 2008 White Ravens catalog include the following titles, featured on PaperTigers: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian; Sky Sweeper; A True Person and Tyger! Tyger!.