OH, ARE YOU AWAKE?

In this tale from two veteran picture-book creators, a wide-awake lion demanding bedtime stories from a sleepy penguin takes center stage.

As Penguin prepares to enter slumberland, Lion asks for a story. Penguin promises to tell one later and falls asleep, but Lion’s loud drumming jolts Penguin awake from a wonderful dream about a robot giving out candy. Lion begs to hear about the “sweet candy dreams,” but Penguin says, “Not now Lion. It is time to close our eyes and dream dreams.” Penguin slips into another dream, now donning a unicorn horn and flying on a unicorn’s back—until “CRUNCH, CRUNCH” noises (Lion is eating from a bag of Bob’s Crunchies, perhaps a reference to the book’s author) cause Penguin and the unicorn to hurtle toward a gaping dragon’s maw. Penguin chastises Lion before falling back to sleep to dream of driving a puppy train…when “BOING! BOING!” noises ring out, this time from Lion’s trampoline. Penguin relents and tells a cursory account of the night’s dreams, but Lion complains that Penguin is lazy. Penguin is truly exhausted and finally tells a story that puts Lion to sleep. While the last joke falls a bit flat, the funny alternating dialogue (Penguin’s in black, Lion’s in blue) and soft digital illustrations sure to spur young listeners’ imaginations make for an entertaining bedtime romp.

Enticement into dreamland for children requesting just one more bedtime story.