Picture This: Sleep Like a Tiger

Sleep Like A Tiger by Mary Logue, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

One evening after the sun has gone down, a little girl doesn't want to go to bed. She tells her parents that she's not sleepy or tired at all. Her parents tell her that even though she doesn't have to go to bed, she does need to put on her pajamas, wash her face and brush her teeth. Once under the covers, she asks her parents, "Does everything in the world go to sleep?" Her parents go through a number of animals, explaining when and where and how they go to sleep. After thinking about all those sleeping animals, the little girl may not be able to stay awake as she had planned.

It may not sound remarkable (I fear my summary/intro is inadequate), but this is one of my favorite picture books of 2012. It's a wonderful combination of an eloquent text, a lovely story, and whimsical illustrations. In this text, Logue captures childlike persistence, curiosity, and imagination. Throughout is creative imagery (snails "curl up like a cinnamon roll inside their shell"), with occasional moments of humor. The selection of sleeping animals are interesting (she found animals that sleep in different ways) and at just the right amount. And then, after the little girl's parents have given her permission to stay awake all night long, she thinks about how she and her sleep are like the animals and their unique ways of sleeping. It's a story that flows and all ties together so nicely at the end. This is truly excellent picture book writing.

Then there are the illustrations. They're rich with detail--charming animal toys and patterned fabrics, bright flags, and textured backgrounds. I can see children loving to look at these pages again and again, each time spotting something new (like the alarm clock and teacup in the bear's den). They're slightly surreal, giving the book a dreamy, whimsical feel, which suits the imaginative, sleepy story. Even the end-papers are wonderful (at the end you can see the family asleep through the windows (including the dog!). As the announcement of the Caldecott fast approaches, I'm rooting for this one.

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