How Do You Go to Sleep?

August 1, 2019
Twelve animals go to sleep in very different ways--which one do you resemble the most? Writing in cadenced, lulling rhyme, McMullan compares animal sleeping habits to those of various children, inviting readers to ponder their own slumbering style. Squirrel, Octopus, Parrot, and Meerkat have specific bedtime rituals. How similar are they to yours? "Is a tree your cozy bed? / Do you turn purple, orange, and red? // Rest your head upon your back? / Sleep with others in a stack? / NO!" Hanson's comfy illustrations show young tots attempting the silly situations. Readers are introduced to zebras, dolphins, pigeons, and more along with diverse human children trying out the many bedtime positions (alas, two floating pool snoozes look very similar). Anticipating the certain choruses of giggling "NO"s from young readers as they contemplate the scenarios, McMullan ends with a summation characterized by mock exasperation: "Well, when you go to bed, / if you don't sleep / a tree sleep or sea sleep, / a tuck sleep or heap sleep, ... / ...a float sleep or sun sleep / how DO you sleep?" Four pages in which a young, black-presenting moppet engages in a typical human bedtime ritual sets things to rights. Punctuated with zaniness, McMullan's litany nevertheless offers a quiet, calming rhythm to help little ones nod off. (Picture book. 2-6)

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October 1, 2019

Toddler-PreS-Animals can sleep standing on one foot, stacked in a heap, or floating in the bay. But how do children go to sleep? In this companion to How Do You Take a Bath?, McMullan compares the sleeping habits of baby animals to a child's familiar bedtime routine. "How do YOU go to sleep?/Do you stand and lock your knees?/Is your bed beneath the leaves?" One-to-a-page, baby animals sleep in their natural habitats. Seals sleep while floating. Dolphins swim in their sleep with one eye open. The meerkat "sleeps in a heap"with the rest of its family. Most interestingly, the octopus changes color during sleep. Periodically interjected, the titular question accompanies children attempting to mimic animal sleeping behaviors. A brown-skinned human family wraps up with familiar rituals like turning off the light and bedtime kisses. The digital, earth-tone illustrations depict serene animals snoozing with doting animal parents looking on. Cartoon children and parents are softened by minimal outlines and a sponge-effect overlay. Young readers will want to cuddle up with the cozy animal babies and may chuckle as the kids try out the different sleeping methods. VERDICT A bedtime book that will soothe and please children and caregivers.-Richelle Rose, Kenton County Public Library, KY

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