In a Blue Room by Jim Averbeck, illustrated by Tricia Tusa.

Alice is unable to sleep because her room isn’t fully blue.  Her mother tries to help, bringing in flowers with a sweet scent, a steaming cup of tea, a snuggly warm quilt, and a string of bells to ring in the breeze.  None of the items are blue, but they all help to greet the blue of the evening.  Finally, with the light off, Alice is in her blue filled room and all of the gentle motherly touches are tinted to a blue too.

This is a gentle bedtime book that is soothing, loving and beautiful.  Tusa’s art is whimsical and magical.  I love the details of all of the items in the bedroom, all adding together to warmth and home.  The warm yellow of the walls, will get children thinking immediately about how in the world this room is going to become blue.  The detail of each item being a different non-blue color is also a great part of the story.  Averbeck’s text has a flow that adds to the soothing gentleness of the entire book.  Until we are all washed away like Alice with the tide of deep blue.

One of the most evocative and charming bedtime tales I have seen in recent time, this book is a great bedtime read aloud.  The pictures are large enough to use it with a group, so this should become one of your standards for bedtime pajama story times at the library too.