SLEEP, SLEEP, SLEEP

Another happy collaboration from the producers of This Is the Hat (1992), this time a trip around all seven continents to show animal and human mothers (but no fathers!) crooning to their sleepy babies. One of the animal pairs rather strains credulityboa constrictors aren't noted for maternal solicitudeand readers may wonder if there would be infants at an Antarctic research station, as pictured, but these are minor cavils at a charming, peaceful book. A variety of animal sounds and ``sleep'' in six languages punctuate the musical, repetitive text. The torn-paper illustrations are collages of beautifully colored and textured papers, with details scratched through the colored layer into the white backing. The picture panels are bordered with designs inspired by the cultures depicted, among them: Navajo, traditional Norwegian, Bolivian Indian, Cantonese. An unusual and very beautiful bedtime book. (Picture book. 1-5)