Hibernation Station

July 26, 2010
In Meadows’s (Pilot Pups) imaginative spin on hibernation, a menagerie prepares for winter as golden leaves give way to snowfall. A bear wearing a conductor’s cap and train-themed pajamas hands out pillows to animals as they climb aboard a train fashioned from hollowed logs. “Groundhogs, turtles, snakes, and frogs./ Slipping into holes and logs./ Fluff the pillows, snuggle in./ But then... commotion in a den!/ ‘I cannot sleep!’ a black bear roars./ ‘My roommate rolls around and snores!’ ” Chipmunks spill a drink and a frog is afraid to be alone—but all finally fall asleep as the ursine crew soon gets everyone in order. Creatively balancing the real and the fanciful, Cyrus’s (Pest Fest) digitally colored art is completely enchanting. Reminiscent of some of Jan Brett’s creations, the animals are rendered at close range and in meticulous detail; their festive pajamas add a whimsical flourish (snakes and slugs in pjs—who can resist?). The overall coziness should get readers in the mood for some overnight hibernation of their own. Ages 3–7.

July 15, 2010
The autumn leaves are swirling all around, so it must be time to gather at Hibernation Station to board the train to sleep. An adorable crew of pajama-clad forest animals make their way to the train, a collection of log cars with variously sized holes and crevices. Large and small, reptile and mammal, true hibernators and "light sleepers" all pile onto the train. But it's not long before there are problems. Bear's roommate keeps him awake, groundhog's hole is too small and so on. The uniformed railroad bears look over the hibernation maps and sort everyone out so that soon the only sound is of snoozing. An author's note gives more information about hibernation, including the distinction between true hibernators and light sleepers. Cyrus's pencil-and–digital color illustrations are filled with rich colors and details, albeit anthropomorphized ones. The fundamental problem is that a jam-packed train is a poor model to illustrate this phenomenon. Denise Fleming' s Time to Sleep (1997) still sets the standard. (Picture book. 3-5)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

July 1, 2010
PreS-Gr 2—-he hibernation train, fashioned of hollow logs, is filled with all sorts of animals, including bears, snakes, chipmunks, frogs, skunks, hedgehogs, and mice. On its way to the station, it hits a few snags—crowded conditions, leakage from a stream, and a lack of snacks and pillows. As the snow falls heavier and heavier, the bears in charge manage to get everyone squared away just as the train enters hibernation station. The track is made of tree branches, and the season is clearly heading from fall into winter. The enjoyable rhyming text provides the perfect platform for the wonderful illustrations that accompany it. Cyrus blends realistic depictions of the animals with just the right anthropomorphic touches—they are all clad in pajamas. The best example is the snails complete with slime trails wearing pj's, while the snakes slithering in their nightwear is quite amusing. An author's note on hibernation is included. Good for storytime or one-on-one reading.—"Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2010
Preschool-G This colorful picture book imagines hibernation as a train of hollow logs that runs through the forest on tracks of sticks and gathers all the animals for their winter sleep. Big and small, pajama-clad critters carry their bedding into the logs and make themselves comfy, while two bears, the trains engineer and conductor, respond to a variety of complaints and technical difficulties. Eventually, as snow begins to fall, the animals settle down and fall asleep. Written in rhymed couplets, the text tells the story in a satisfying way and sets a good pace for young children. The fanciful illustrations, pencil drawings with digitally added colors and textures, vary in their effectiveness, but the best are excellent, and Cyrus portrayal of the sleepy animals is completely charming. In an appended note, Meadows discusses hibernation, deep sleepers, and light sleepers. Teachers looking for books on hibernation will find this an engaging, fanciful read-aloud choice for their classrooms.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)