From School Library Journal
Grade 2–5—Focusing on sleeping customs through the ages, Lauber begins with the Stone Age and moves up to the 1700s, but includes some more contemporary facts as well. She also corrects common myths, such as the idea that ancient Egyptians reposed on headrests to keep their hairdos neat (not true, since they wore wigs). Manders's engaging artwork varies between full-page and spot illustrations. The humorous asides from characters in the comic-style pictures will entertain youngsters as they get the full impact of people snoozing in very different ways. All of this history is put into context at the end, where the author draws parallels between slumber habits in the past and current practices. One of the examples is sleeping outside, which was done in the Stone Age and that we now call camping. Overall, a winning look at history.—
Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Patricia Lauber is the author of the Around-the-House series and more than 125 other books for young people. Her
Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of St. Helens was a Newbery Honor Book. She lives with her husband and two cats, Beemer and MeToo, in New Canaan, Connecticut.
John Manders uses an old master's technique of layering colored glazes over a monochromatic underpainting and does extensive research for many of his projects. He and his wife, Lisa, live with two dogs and a parrot in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
