The Sea of Sleep - Another NCTE Find...

I couldn't resist this book, The Sea of Sleep, when I picked it up at NCTE.  There is something mesmerizing about Jim Lamarche's illustrations coupled with Warren Hanson's words.  The cover is as inviting as the rest of the book. 
     Baby Otter is sleepy and cuddles his mother as he gets gently rocked to sleep in the sea.  The stars, the schools of fish, the dolphins... Otter sees them all as they drift through the book.  It's a poetic lullaby.  A breathtaking book. 
     How would I use it?  I think it could be used in a study of writing with a repeating line.  The images it creates would certainly nudge students to evoke sensory images... you can almost close your eyes and be there... Drifting, Floating, Lightly gliding, On the Sea of Sleep.   
     During an illustration study... well, otters are adorable!  I love Jim LaMarche's work.  And, like all the books he's illustrated, he gives readers an open invitation to jump in and explore the author's words (in this case not his own).  
     Can't wait to hear what my students think about this one...