SLEEPY BEARS

An enchanting tale from Fox (Boo to a Goose, 1998, etc.), about a mother bear readying her six little cubs for their long winter snooze. With the onset of cooler weather, Mother Bear lures her bustling offspring into bed with the promise of one final bedtime rhyme for each sibling. With her cubs tucked in around her, Mother Bear recites lullaby poems that are as unique as the little one she is addressing. She serenades her tots with tales of swashbuckling pirates, daring trapeze artists, regal queens, and indulgent sultans. Fox’s honeyed verses resonate with a mother’s love and consummate understanding of her child’s individualism. “Moonbeams touch your precious face/And stars float by with gentle grace.” Argent’s amber-hued illustrations tenderly capture the cozy comfort of the bear family as they snuggle into bed by candlelight, while the more vividly colored pictures reflect the dream world Mother Bear creates. A bewitching collection of sleepy time rhymes. (Picture book. 3-6)