THE BEAR WHO COULDN'T SLEEP

Bear’s mother and brothers are comfortably hibernating for the winter, while he tosses and turns.

Unable to fall asleep, he heads for the bright lights of New York City, where he enjoys the Thanksgiving Day parade, attends an opera, and sees the Statue of Liberty. He encounters other animals at the zoo and in the park, and he falls in love with a Jackson Pollock painting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. All that activity finally tires him out, but now he can’t find a place to settle down amid the constant noise and movement of the city that never sleeps. Finally he finds his way home to his forest and family and settles down for a long sleep. Bears and their habits are very popular picture-book subjects, and there have been a great many animals, humans, and imaginary characters who have visited the Big Apple. Nastro brings a fresh perspective with well-paced, simple, descriptive text set in type that’s woven seamlessly around and through Nastanlieva’s bright, detailed illustrations. Dressed in pajamas and toting his pillow, Bear displays curiosity, bewilderment, awe, joy, and, eventually, frustration and exhaustion, all with very slight adjustments to his facial features. Sharp-eyed young readers will notice that a small golden bird unobtrusively accompanies Bear throughout his adventures.

Cuddle up with this Bear and his pillow for a just-right bedtime story.