GO BACK TO SLEEP

A little boy goes through his bedtime routine with his toy animals, but must do it again in reverse when their ruckus wakes him up in the middle of the night. Layered pages show Willy carefully taking each toy off his bed and placing it in its favorite spot in his room before he falls asleep. But Bo Bear is rather naughty, beginning a chain reaction that wakes up all the toys and leads to such a ruckus that Willy wakes up. The layered pages then return in reverse, showing Willy gathering each toy and placing it back on the bed, where they all fall asleep together. A delightful rhyming beginning sputters in the middle of the tale when it disappears entirely, reemerging only sporadically after that. Observant youngsters might wonder why it’s Sailor Monkey who says, “Wind me up!” instead of the mouse with the key in its back. Constantin has mastered the art of facial expression, and her illustrations are enchanting, sure to lure youngsters to dreamland along with Willy. Cute despite its flaws. (Picture book. 3-7)