Mama, I Can't Sleep

PreS-Gr 1–When a child complains that she can’t sleep, her mother’s response is that all animals need sleep, and she goes on to describe how leopards sleep in trees, storks on one leg, ducks in a group, etc. After each explanation, the child tries to apply what she’s heard, without success. “I tried the fish trick and kept my eyes open. But they keep closing again. And the bathtub is hard and uncomfortable.” Youngsters will find some of these scenarios humorous. The refrain, “Mama, I can’t sleep,” falls a bit flat in comparison with repeating lines that form a rhythm in many other picture books.The story ends with Mama falling asleep, but readers are led to believe that the child will soon follow, giving the book a soothing ending. Instead of traditional punctuation for dialogue, the text changes color and font to indicate who is speaking. The problem with this technique is that the colors and fonts are not easily discernible one from the other and are therefore confusing. The inclusion of animal facts is not enough to make this bedtime-themed book stand out from the pack. What does stand out, however, are the illustrations; the paintings, many with black backgrounds that allow the other colors to shine, pop off the page.–Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL