A BEDTIME HUG

Animal pairs get ready to sleep with flaps that show them snuggling in for the night.

This cozy board book is definitely bedtime-ready, ideal for lap reading and cuddling. Each baby animal is tucked in for the night with the turn of a sturdy, shaped flap. The parent squirrel’s tail wraps around Little Squirrel; the hen’s wing folds over the chicks. Perhaps the sweetest and most satisfying are the double flaps that fold in hugging wings around Little Penguin. The flaps themselves are very thick, not papery, with large trenches around each and a notched space for easy lifting. This makes them strong enough to withstand turning from less-dexterous toddler fingers. The rhyming text is equally sturdy, the pacing appropriate for little listeners. The book begins at sunset, and the illustrations show the progression into darkness with every page turn. Each double-page spread has its own palette, from the greens and the golds of the tigers’ sunset to the icy blues, whites, and grays of the penguins’ night sky. There are nice touches in texture and detail: for example, the spiky hairs on a tiny woolly bear and sunset shadows behind the flowers on the field. One odd detail is the long, furred tail on each field mouse.

The cute animals and inviting flaps hold high appeal for lap-sitting kiddos and caregivers eager for snuggles.