Animals Are Sleeping (Paperback)

~ Suzanne Slade (Author), Gary R. Phillips (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2—While many picture books feature animals sleeping, either individually or in mother/child pairings, this title takes the concept a step further. Not only are the creatures shown in their natural habitats, but they are also depicted in their natural poses. The sloth is upside down, the giraffe is gently resting its head on a high tree branch, and the clown fish are tucked in between the gently swaying seaweed. The calming and peaceful text winds down to a "good night, sleep tight" conclusion with a little boy tucked into bed, his cat asleep at his side. The lush full-color illustrations continue the soothing effect of the text, casting shadows and layers without being too dark or too heavily drawn. Two concluding spreads suggest animal sorting cards and activities, including fill-in-the-blank types of questions that give just enough factual and interesting information to keep young minds engaged either in a classroom, during a pajama storytime, or at home on a caregiver's lap.—Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"After reading this adorable book, I have added a new favorite bedtime story to my list! I know I won't be able to keep it on the shelves at the library." --A Patchwork of Books

"Suzanne Slade's Animals are Sleeping is perfection. Gary R. Phillips' pictures are astonishingly beautiful. They make me want to shut my eyes and dream of beautiful places." --Bookpleasures.com

"Sylvan Dell publishes the best in fun and educational children's books, and Animals are Sleeping is no exception. It is brilliant!" --Armchair Interviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing (March 10, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934359262
• ISBN-13: 978-1934359266
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,652,793 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for Bedtime!, April 12, 2008

By	Barbara Rosenstock "children's book author" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Animals Are Sleeping (Hardcover)

"Animals are Sleeping" is a beautiful book about bedtime. Each of the animals pictured here sleeps in a unique way. The illustrations depict the natural environment in soft, yet colorful tones. The soothing text gives clear information that the very young child can understand. There is a treasure of detailed information about the animals sleep habits at the end of the book. "Animals are Sleeping" is perfect for preschool or kindergarten classrooms or as a thoughtful read-aloud before bed. Beautiful Book!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, must-have for every child's library, March 12, 2008

By	Armchair Interviews (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animals Are Sleeping (Hardcover)

Sylvan Dell publishes the best in fun and educational children's books, and Animals are Sleeping is no exception.

Any child who is approaching bedtime will love the lovely Animals are Sleeping. The text is low key and informative. The illustrations that accompany the text add so much to the story. The brief text entertains but also teaches the habits of individual animals that fly in the air, or live in water and on land.

The educational part of Animals are Sleeping includes animal sorting cards and various activities that will intrigue children and keep them coming back for more.

The illustrations by Gary R. Phillips are stunning! They are, without a doubt, some of the most beautiful pictures I've ever seen in a children's book. The colors are bright, beautiful, yet soothing and are oh so inviting. They absolutely beg the reader to stroke the pages and are so well done, they could be framed.

Armchair Interviews says: Animals are Sleeping should be in every child's library. It is brilliant!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Peaceful Book, June 18, 2008

By	J. Nasse "book lover/educator" (New Mexico, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This quiet, lovely book by author Suzanne Slade is all the richer for its simple style and prose. The reader immediately relaxes with the first words, "Shhh...shhh..." Each page or double-page spread has a different animal showing how it sleeps. It also becomes a guessing game as the animals are not named in the text, yet there are sorting cards in the back to copy and match to each animal, naming them in turn.

The illustrations by artist Gary R. Phillips have soft muted nighttime colors with a sculptural effect creating just the right tone for the sleeping animals. It makes you wish you could pick up each animal to cuddle. Because of the simplified text, this book would make an excellent early reader, so that reading and writing time can be based on this book as part of a larger unit on animal behavior. This exquisite book is highly recommended for ages 2 - 7.