SLEEPY ABC
by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Karen Katz
Take an old story by a skilled wordsmith (the text dates from 1953 and was originally accompanied by Esphyr Slobodkina’s illustrations), add cheerful, cuddly illustrations and a fresh new ABC book that’s also a bedtime tale is born. From “A is for Aaaah / when a small / kitten sighs” to “Z is for Zipper. / Now zip into bed,” the simple rhymes for each letter of the alphabet are illustrated with Katz’s signature multicultural, round-headed, roly-poly kids. The choice of words is not typical or obvious; instead of B for blanket, “B is for Baaaaa / when the lambs / close their eyes,” and C is for caw “when the last crow crows.” L is for listening; D is for dreams; U is for nothing Under the bed; and “X is for all the things you can play.” The book is a companion to Brown’s A Child’s Good Morning Book (2009), also illustrated by Katz. It’s bound to find its way to many a bedside table, to be rightly enjoyed by a new generation. (Picture book. 3-6)