For those of you who have been following this feed for a while (all 7 weeks of its existence!!) you may remember that I raved about the book The Whisper, by Pamela Zagarenski. That is not her only book that I adore. In 2013, Zagarenski’s gorgeous illustrations in Sleep Like A Tiger, written by Mary Logue, won her a Caldecott Honor. A quick glance at the cover alone will clue you in as to why. Her work is simply breathtaking.
Sleep Like A Tiger is one of those quietly magical bedtime books that I would read to my boys every night if I had my way. It tells the story of a young girl who repeatedly tells her parents that she is not tired. Her parents, however, insist that she get ready for bed, and once she snuggles under her covers, the child begins to question how various animals go to sleep at night. Her parents describe the sleeping habits of these animals, which the little girl then mimics once her parents leave her bedroom. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the child falls sound asleep.
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This book gets it right on so many levels. With its lyrical narrative, the story speaks to children who want nothing more than to stay awake even though it’s time for bed. The dialogue between the child and her parents is true to life, and as the parents describe so poetically how various animals fall asleep, it imparts a sense of security to little ones who feel alone in their rooms at night time, but come to understand that they aren’t the only ones for whom it is time to go to bed. As you read, the story seems to hush the world around you with its gentle cadence, and it’s enchanting mixed media illustrations are precisely the kind of images you hope your child’s dreams are made of. There is no doubt about it- this remarkable story will make you want to curl up in bed with your little ones and drift off to sleep right next to them. On a scale of 1-5 stars– this easily gets 100. This is one of the most stunning books in our library… And one of our absolute favorites.
Want the book? Get it here! Sleep Like A Tiger, by Mary Logue. *This is an affiliate link.
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