The Reading Warehouse

A Tennessee Breeze is a gently rhyming children's picture book that lets us see, hear and feel the coming of night while we're surrounded by nature. The story takes us from a dusky evening into sprawling moonlight. First, we hear the whippoorwill; he whoops once more signaling that dusk is leaving the day. On a Tennessee breeze, we follow tiny gnats, field crickets, and many winged things into the seemingly quiet world of nature as the sun goes down. But, if you listen close you can hear a subtle chorus emerge. Snapping, clacking, ticking, clicking are in the background, an unsuspecting chorus of mostly insects. In the foreground we get a glimpse of a patient mockingbird. Listening, he waits for his moment- to give the official melody that night is here. Evening notes, evening calls, the mockingbird hears them all. Nocturnal noise becomes his joy. When his time has come he swoops into the ease of night while his song is whisked along a moonlit breeze.

The story's rich illustrations are drawn in chalk pastel. Each spread follows the text to capture a softness that mimics the sights and sounds of night, creating a soothing bedtime story.