You’re Safe With Me

The positive messages and story are perfect for this bedtime book, but it was the cover’s detailed India-styled drawings that pulled me in. Each page is beautifully illustrated with rich colors and details. I had to slow down and carefully study each one so I wouldn’t miss the nuances of their story.

The story itself takes place in an Indian forest at night. Night sounds for little ones are normal, and the baby animals sleep through them. But when a storm passes through, the new night sounds frighten the young animals. Mama Elephant walks through the forest, comforting each animal. In a lyrical voice, she explains what each noise means. For instance:
“Swish-swish! The trees moved. Ooh-Ooh! The wind moaned. The little animals woke up and whimpered.”
“Don’t worry about the wind,” whispered Mama Elephant. “He’s an old friend of the forest. He brings us seeds from faraway lands.”
Mama Elephant reassures each animal of the thunder, lightning, the waters in the river, and other sounds. Her explanations cleverly introduce nature’s cycles and explain how each sound supports their forest.

The positive, lyrically-written story with its stunning illustrations makes this a book that will reassure its readers.