Goodnight, Sleepyville

March 15, 2020
In Sleepyville, getting ready for sleep is anything but sleepy. So much to do....The families of the woodland community known as Sleepyville--bears, bunnies, porcupines, foxes, birds, insects, and others--clean up, shutter businesses, and proceed to their various homes. There, they perform cozy nightly rituals: eating dinner, washing dishes, sharing a snack, choosing PJ's, brushing teeth, snuggling, and listening to lullabies and/or stories before bed. In the meantime, the sun sets, the moon rises, and the stars twinkle. Then all lights are out--except one, the source of which is revealed on a most charming, wordless final page. This endearing bedtime tale strikes a refreshing note in a crowded field with its sweet simplicity. Ditto for the adorable, gently humorous illustrations replete with cuddly scenes of Sleepyville residents comfortably settled in for the evening in their own idiosyncratic ways. Reassuring glimpses of warm, loving families will charm young children, as will the scenes depicting nighttime preparations familiar to them. Minimal text per page, lots of white space, and simple backgrounds permit focus on characters and activities. Children will want to make this tender story a goodnight habit. (Picture book. 2-5)

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May 11, 2020
A natural sequel to the creators’ Welcome to Morningtown, this volume features Sleepyville: a cozy, affable forest community inhabited by foxes, bears, rabbits, and other creatures. “The sun is setting,/ and everyone’s/ done for the day,” writes Hellman, and readers see animals heading home in evening light, pulling carts of groceries, popping into the library, then gathering for dinner before going through the familiar bedtime routine. In Henry’s illustrations, a parent and baby porcupine smooch, a family of worms snuggles under a leaf, and bears toast marshmallows in front of a fire. When the whole animal kingdom is bedding down in adorable vignettes, afloat on the sea or curled in a nest, going to sleep seems like the thing to do—and readers are assured that they’ll have plenty of company as they drift off. Ages up to 5.

May 22, 2020

PreS-Gr 2-It's the end of the day for the families in Sleepyville, as detailed scenes entice young readers to imagine the lives of animal families in an anthropomorphic folk art fantasy. Pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations show shops closing, shadows lengthening, and last call to check out books from the library. The residents find their ways to a variety of homes: ladybugs return to the domes of toadstools, a snail adjusts a tiny roof, and others return to an elaborate house across the expanse of a tree's broad branches. Simple tasks bring the day to a close-shoes off, "wash your paws for supper," clean up after dinner, and don favorite pajamas. The alliterative text reinforces the images-sweeping, shutting, strutting-as animals snuggle, wiggle, and cuddle up for a bedtime lullaby. VERDICT A comforting tale of nighttime routines, homes, and family love, this first purchase supports social emotional learning through an imaginary world of cozy bedtimes for young readers.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano I.S.D., TX

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