Animals Asleep
PreSchool-Grade 3-This picture book presents the sleep behaviors of a wide variety of creatures from all over the world. The appealing watercolor illustrations consist of single- and double-page paintings. Soft, pastel backgrounds cradle brighter hues, bringing into focus each animal as it takes a nap, hibernates, or sleeps. The large-print text uses general terms to describe the different ways and places that these animals rest, while paragraphs written in smaller type delve into more details about each species. Though the entries are brief, the information is clearly presented. Readers learn how orangutans weave a sleeping nest, mother pandas nap with their babies, and sea otters "sack out in a nearby kelp bed." There are some interesting tidbits: the bottlenose dolphin rests half its brain while the other half navigates the deeps, and the sooty tern dozes in flight. The author also explains that scientists don't really know much about the rest habits of invertebrates, such as giant clams. A solid offering for nature lovers.Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.