You’re Safe With Me

Night falls in the jungle; the moon rises, the stars shine. It is time for the baby animals to go to bed. They cannot sleep – a storm approaches with thunder, lightning and the wind. However Mama Elephant is there to gently soothe their fears, her whispered refrain of “You’re safe with me” bringing them comfort.

Poonam Mistry’s illustrations are a feast of decoration that reference the arts of the Indian sub-continent creating an exciting visual experience for the youngest reader. Soundar’s gentle text is the ideal accompaniment as Mama Elephant provides satisfying and imaginative explanations for the noises that frighten the young, while her repeated “you’re safe with me” is infinitely reassuring. Rich saturated colours, patterned designs, a lyrical, rhythmic narrative, this is a jewel of a book that should be shared widely as an antidote to the mundane and banal. A bedtime book to treasure.