mat_tobin's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful book! Mistry's illustrations are engrossing, vibrant and invite you to look carefully and closely. When the baby animals find it difficult to sleep at night, Mama elephant takes them in her trunk and sheds light on the mysteries of the night. Why thunder clatters, the wind moans and lightning sparkles are all explained by Mama elephant in a way that honours both pourquoi stories and animal tales. Soundar's ability to pick up on rhythm and repetition, noises and harmonies in the natural world and her own writing make a perfect companion for the illustrations - definitely one to share with children and it'd sit so well in the early years when children begin to explore sounds around them.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
3.0
Gorgeously lush and vibrant art. But the art was only loosely representational and really didn't add anything to the story. And the text didn't blow me away. It was an okay idea. And the book wasn't bad. I was just hoping for better.
alysona's review against another edition
5.0
I loved everything about this book. Also I would like fabric based on the art.
theybedax's review against another edition
4.0
The artwork in this is absolutely gloriously beautiful! I appreciated this book from start to finish! Also, pangolins should be in every story!!
antlersantlers's review against another edition
4.0
2021 Update!
I used this book for a virtual PJ story time tonight and it worked wonderfully. Reading it in person, I was worried that the illustrations might be too involved for a story time. And holding it up in front of a group and panning, it very well might be! But I use a Mevo webcam (from work) for virtual story time and I can zoom in on the pictures as I read the whole spread. It worked so well!! The camera picked up on all the little details and if you were watching you could focus on the whole spread while I read aloud. I will likely try this for an in-person story time (eventually), but I wanted to update my review to reflect how perfectly suited it is to a virtual story time!
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Original review!
SO BEAUTIFUL. This is a really wonderful and gentle bedtime story that I think would be a great read for babies on up! The story is so simple that it would be a nice bedtime story for a little one or a story time read aloud. The illustrations are so lush that it would also be an enjoyable read for an older child as well.
I used this book for a virtual PJ story time tonight and it worked wonderfully. Reading it in person, I was worried that the illustrations might be too involved for a story time. And holding it up in front of a group and panning, it very well might be! But I use a Mevo webcam (from work) for virtual story time and I can zoom in on the pictures as I read the whole spread. It worked so well!! The camera picked up on all the little details and if you were watching you could focus on the whole spread while I read aloud. I will likely try this for an in-person story time (eventually), but I wanted to update my review to reflect how perfectly suited it is to a virtual story time!
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Original review!
SO BEAUTIFUL. This is a really wonderful and gentle bedtime story that I think would be a great read for babies on up! The story is so simple that it would be a nice bedtime story for a little one or a story time read aloud. The illustrations are so lush that it would also be an enjoyable read for an older child as well.
backonthealex's review against another edition
5.0
On a dark and stormy night, the baby animals in the jungle are scared - of the wind huffing and puffing and blowing the trees, of the loud thunder claps, of the lightening that sparkles in the night sky, and of the water rushing in the river.
Luckily for a little monkey, a baby loris, a tiger cub, and a young pangolin, a large, but gentle mama elephant comes along, and tenderly rocks them to sleep cradled in her truck. As she rocks them, she offers soothing words whenever the babies wake up whimpering. Don't be scared, mama elephant tells them as she comforts with reasons why each scary naturally occurring stormy element is good for the jungle in which they all live.
In calming, rhythmic language that reads like a lullaby, Chitra Soundar has written a beautiful, reassuring story that any parent or caretaker who has a fearful child will be grateful to have, especially on a dark and stormy night.
I've actually had this book for a while, and have read and re-read it many time by myself and with kids. We all love the story, and have spent some time exploring the incredible illustrations by Poonam Mistry, done in one of the most unique styles I've ever seen in a picture book. She describes it as coming from her love of nature, and exploring the relationships between patterns, shapes, and color to create intricate illustrations, with a decidedly Indian influence. Mistry's digitally created images certainly reflect this philosophy.
After you and your kids have read and enjoyed You're Safe With Me, be sure to visit Chitra Soundar's website where you can find related activities such as a crossword and word search puzzles, and a coloring page that looks suspiciously like the mama elephant in the story. While you're there, why not explore her other books for young readers.
The publisher of You're Safe With Me, Lantana Publishing, is a relatively new independent publisher based in London. Their mission is to produce high quality, diverse books for kids and after having read many of them, I would say that they are indeed succeeding.
All in all, I can say that You're Safe With Me is a wholly satisfactory reading experience and I highly recommend it. And if you like it as much as we did, you'll be happy to hear that there is a companion book called You're Snug With Me by both Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry due out October 1, 2018.
This book is recommended for readers age 6+
This book was sent to me by the publisher, Lantana Books
Luckily for a little monkey, a baby loris, a tiger cub, and a young pangolin, a large, but gentle mama elephant comes along, and tenderly rocks them to sleep cradled in her truck. As she rocks them, she offers soothing words whenever the babies wake up whimpering. Don't be scared, mama elephant tells them as she comforts with reasons why each scary naturally occurring stormy element is good for the jungle in which they all live.
In calming, rhythmic language that reads like a lullaby, Chitra Soundar has written a beautiful, reassuring story that any parent or caretaker who has a fearful child will be grateful to have, especially on a dark and stormy night.
I've actually had this book for a while, and have read and re-read it many time by myself and with kids. We all love the story, and have spent some time exploring the incredible illustrations by Poonam Mistry, done in one of the most unique styles I've ever seen in a picture book. She describes it as coming from her love of nature, and exploring the relationships between patterns, shapes, and color to create intricate illustrations, with a decidedly Indian influence. Mistry's digitally created images certainly reflect this philosophy.
After you and your kids have read and enjoyed You're Safe With Me, be sure to visit Chitra Soundar's website where you can find related activities such as a crossword and word search puzzles, and a coloring page that looks suspiciously like the mama elephant in the story. While you're there, why not explore her other books for young readers.
The publisher of You're Safe With Me, Lantana Publishing, is a relatively new independent publisher based in London. Their mission is to produce high quality, diverse books for kids and after having read many of them, I would say that they are indeed succeeding.
All in all, I can say that You're Safe With Me is a wholly satisfactory reading experience and I highly recommend it. And if you like it as much as we did, you'll be happy to hear that there is a companion book called You're Snug With Me by both Chitra Soundar and Poonam Mistry due out October 1, 2018.
This book is recommended for readers age 6+
This book was sent to me by the publisher, Lantana Books
melaniegaum's review against another edition
5.0
Some of the most gorgeous picture book art I've ever seen!
lovelyreads13's review against another edition
4.0
After thoroughly enjoying You’re Snug With Me recently, I wanted to give this edition ago. Both books are relatively similar, so if you liked one, you’re going to like the other. In You’re Safe With Me mama elephant soothes the baby animals of the Indian forest while a storm passes. My only bug bear was the story was unrealistic to nature with different animal species helping each other but others might overlook that with it being aimed at the very young. They illustrations are breathtaking, and although I prefer them to the ones in the other title, I found the story wasn’t quite to the same high standard. The story was incredibly atmospheric for a children’s book however and still worthy of a recommendation.
alicebennett's review against another edition
4.0
The vibrant, engaging illustrations in this book will encourage children to look closely and see what they can find hidden in the colourful pages. The story is ideal for a Reception class as they will be able to relate to the baby animal's fears of the dark, the scary noises at night and the loud thunder cracking in the sky above.
The book follows a pattern where the animals express their different fears one by one and each time the mother calms them with a beautiful story about why something is happening and reassuring them that: "You are safe with me". For example, when the babies are scared because the wind is rattling the trees, Mama Elephant personifies the wind as a: "friend of the forest"; showing that there is nothing to be scared of.
In PSHE we would discuss our different fears and think about when we have had to be really brave in a situation, for example going to the dentist. We would talk about how our parents/carers can make us feel safe, just like the Mama Elephant, by comforting us and making up stories to make us feel better.
The book reminded me of 'Can't you Sleep, Little bear?' where a young bear cub is terrified of the dark but with the help of his caring Mother, he learns there's nothing to be afraid of. I would use these two books together to help the children learn this too.
The book follows a pattern where the animals express their different fears one by one and each time the mother calms them with a beautiful story about why something is happening and reassuring them that: "You are safe with me". For example, when the babies are scared because the wind is rattling the trees, Mama Elephant personifies the wind as a: "friend of the forest"; showing that there is nothing to be scared of.
In PSHE we would discuss our different fears and think about when we have had to be really brave in a situation, for example going to the dentist. We would talk about how our parents/carers can make us feel safe, just like the Mama Elephant, by comforting us and making up stories to make us feel better.
The book reminded me of 'Can't you Sleep, Little bear?' where a young bear cub is terrified of the dark but with the help of his caring Mother, he learns there's nothing to be afraid of. I would use these two books together to help the children learn this too.