Kissed by the moon by Alison Lester

Penguin Australia, 2013. ISBN 9780670076758
(Age: 2-4) Highly recommended for littlies. Inaugural Australian Children's Laureate Alison Lester began her present career with children's book illustrations in 1979. In 1985 her first book in her own right, Clive eats alligators was published and since then dozens of books have followed from simple picture books to novels.
Her seemingly boundless talents have now produced a beautiful part lullaby, part poem celebrating the world from a small baby's perspective. I would also describe it as part prayer as the warmth of the one who loves the baby washes over the whole text.
'May you, my baby, make sprinkles of sand, spy little fish, and splash in the ocean'.
The beautiful cover and endpapers reflect the night time using shades of indigo and grey while the illustrations themselves are a joyous revelation of all the beauty of new experiences for a growing babe - the garden with its creatures (a particularly gorgeous illustration), the bush, rain, sunshine or snow and more. Some wonderful double page spreads are interspersed between smaller snapshots - all with the inimitable Alison Lester style and grace.
Another book that would make the perfect welcome gift for a new little human in your world, this is also a delightful read aloud for little people from around 2-4 years old.
Sue Warren