When the Sky Is Like Lace: Barbara Cooney Reissue

Lewis Carroll lives on in the *BIMULOUS* sky created by Elinor Lander Horwitz and illustrator Barbara Cooney. It probably rates as one of the top ten picture books among readers who agitate for reprints! And how satisfying to report success! If children as young as three years old clamor to have 'lacy skies' read to them, I wonder if it is primarily for the fascinating, mystical illustrations, OR, are little ones swept away by the language that seems to have descended from the 'nonsense rhymes' of Lewis Carroll? The fantasy in "When The Sky Is Like Lace" is carried along by both words and paintings, and the vocabulary is eagerly, laughingly adopted into the language of children - - and adult readers, too. Barbara Cooney was an author-illustrator with an enthusiastic 'following' who champion favorite titles, such as "Roxaboxen," "Miss Rumpius", "Island Boy." In this lovely book the three girls glide barefoot over grass that "feels like the velvet inside a very old violin case" and svelte otters dance like humans. "If you see the man in the moon wink - especially through a clean white handkerchief - YOU may soon see a BIMULOUS SKY" and be wafted away to memorable adventures. Brought forth are wonderful RULES - - for what to eat on those nights, what to sing, the kinds of gifts that are appropriate to exchange (my favorite being "anything chartreuse") . All the senses are heightened by the artists's line & color that blends so perfectly with the words of Elinor Horwitz. Reviewer mcHAIKU would write more but on the author's advice I have chosen to ride a camel bareback (while juggling three peaches).

So I was ABOUT to pay $132 for an out of print version of this book when I saw it had been reprinted!!! I feel like its Christmas. This was my FAVORITE book as a child. I have an old color photocopy that I have read every day to my 13 months old since he was 6 months old. Its SO battered and falling apart - but he still picks it to have me read to him every time. He LOVES it. If you want for you and your little one to be transported to where everything is strange splendid and plum perfect - GET this book. It is pure magic. I am going to buy copies for everyone I know with kids!

When the Sky is Like Lace by Elinor Lander Horwitz should absolutely be reissued. I can't believe that it is out of print. A friend is having a baby shower and out of the hundred books my two year old loves to hear, this is an absolute favorite. We regularly read him my husband's copy from childhood and I wanted to be able to share this with my friend's child. The story is fabulous, fanciful, rhythmic, and utterly beyond my imagination. The drawings are so deeply rooted to the story that they seem to move as you read along (such as when the trees "eucalyptus" or when the sky is "bimulous"). I am so grateful to my mother-in-law for tucking this book away for all those years. Please please someone reissue this book so more children can relish the fantastic images and situations it creates for us. Much gratitude to the author for her tremendous gift that she shared with us back in 1975 and that I will continue to extend to other children as my son and his friends grow.

I first heard of this book while taking a Children's Lit course in college. When our professor read it aloud to us as an example of one of the finest pieces of children's literature she knew, I was stunned that it was out of print. I checked it out of the college library over and over and never tired of its flowing, musical, beautiful text and its equally inspiring pictures. I am crushed that I can't find an affordable copy to buy. Why is this amazing book out of print? I want to pass copies out to every child (and most adults) I know. I want to read it to my own children someday.

My children grew up loving this book and I love sharing it with them. Many evenings were spent reading the imaginative text ("the fern deep grove at the midnight end of the garden" and grass that "feels like the velvet inside a very old violin case")and savoring the exquisite illustrations. Both words and pictures never failed to transport us to a mystical, magical place. The interactive style of writing draws the readers into the story making them integral characters. Every child should have the opportunity to dream and have the fun of choosing (among other things) juggling peaches, pretending to be a helicopter and jumping up and down in the mud. Although my children are now grown, the three of us can still quote lines (actually, we can practically recite the book verbatim). None of us can hear the "Mexican Hat Dance" without thinking of the otter's song. We tresure our copy and look forward to reading it to the next generation and introducing them to the "strange splendid" things that happen when the sky is like lace. Just for insurance (in case anything should happen to our well worn and well loved copy), I purchased a used copy for an outrageous price, but it is worth every penny. How I wish this book would come back into print. I would buy copies for every child I know. Gracious, I have developed a craving for spaghetti with pineapple sauce!