Snoozefest

November 10, 2014
Think of Lollapalooza’s polar opposite and you get SnoozeFest. Held in the igloolike NuzzleDome, it attracts “All the best sleepers in Snoozeville,” including the nominal protagonist, a sloth named Snuggleford Cuddlebun. “Wildcats and wombats and koala bears./ And brown bats and squirrels and giant armadillos” all show up with “their wumphiest, coziest, comfiest things” to bed down en masse before heading home and dreaming of next year. Although the story’s charms are diminished by Berger’s (Crankenstein) overly twee rhymes (“She’s tired and groggy and logy and lazy,/ She’s drooly and foggy, and dusty and hazy”), this knowing, affectionate spoof of music festivals is fresh and timely (bands like “Chamomile Rage” play soporific sets, sleep masks are sold as souvenirs, and a concession stand serves milk and honey). Litten (This Day in June) offers an impressive range of cute, sleep-loving characters, and she’s equally good at conveying the festival’s exceedingly mellow vibes, especially when the lights go down, lanterns glow, and the crowd just can’t restrain itsdrowsiness. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. Illustrator’s agent: Alan Lynch, Arena Illustration.

October 15, 2014
It's not Woodstock. It's not Coachella. It's SnoozeFest-and it's for sleeping!Snuggleford the sloth lives in the rural town of Snoozeville. In her bedroom, in a red bed, she sleeps for a month at a time, smiling. Only one thing gets her up and out the front door: SnoozeFest. Carrying a snazzy suitcase with zigzag stripes, Snuggleford joins a crowd-bears, koalas, cats-on the bus to the NuzzleDome. Once there, she chooses her sleeping nook (hammock No. 16), buys snacks (milk and honey) and purchases band swag. A pajama fashion show spotlights the famous designers Louis Futon and Diane von Firstinbed. Bands play, among them Chamomile Rage and Drowsy Duet. Participants fall blissfully asleep throughout, as do some musicians (mid-gig!). While adults will recognize the festival concept better than kids, preschoolers will love the sleep-tailored diction ("naptacular"; "tire-riffic") and rollicking verse, such as this description of a critical component: "Some of the blankets are in mint condition. / Others collectible, rare, first edition. / Some are so old, they're all tattered and torn. / This sloth has had hers since the day she was born." Litten's digitally created illustrations don't quite match the wit of Berger's verse, but they're quaint and homey, and her nighttime-at-the-fest spreads are done in an inviting deep purple with sparkling lights. No snoozefest here-great fun. (Picture book. 3-6)

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January 1, 2015
Preschool-G Snuggleford Cuddlebun the Sloth is truly gifted when it comes to sleeping, so she's very excited to be attending Snoozefest. This annual festival has it all: a pajama fashion show, bedtime snacks, and a lineup featuring soothing bands and crooners. Snuggleford settles down in her hammock with her teddy bear, blanket, and pillows and promptly drifts off, happily dreaming through the entire show. Snuggleford eventually wakes up and returns home, where she goes right to bed to start resting up for next year. The story is told in lilting rhyme, reminiscent of a lullaby. Litten's illustrations in soft pastels gradually fade to darker hues as evening descends, resulting in a stage scene softly backlit by nightlights. Parents will identify with the festival vibe, complete with laid-back crowds, posters, T-shirts, and band memorabilia. It is refreshing to have a protagonist who actually delights in sleeping as opposed to the slumber-challenged characters in Margie Palatini's No Nap! Yes Nap! (2014) and Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Peep (2015). Everyone will be yawning by the end of this cozy tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)