If I Were a Kangaroo

February 15, 2017
How do baby animals sleep?It must be time for bed, because someone special is describing how a number of different animals go to sleep. "If I were a giant whale, / I'd sing you songs--slow epic tales. / Fin to fin, down in the deep, / We'd drift together into sleep," the narrator explains. Bound to appeal to young animal lovers, this brief survey of animal habits shows that chicks, squirrels, giraffes, bats, otters, spiders, and gorillas all have their own special sleep styles and habits, which are presented poetically in the text as well as in brief scientific detail at the book's end. Digitally enhanced ink-and-pencil artwork shows young animals preparing for sleep in their own particular ways, while the gentle rhymes and rhythms of the text form a sort of lullaby. These baby animals are all depicted with their mothers, setting up the expectation that the adult human scene at the end is also a mother. At the story's conclusion, observant listeners will see that the narrator-mother and her baby (both pale-skinned) have their own bedtime habits, and they will notice that the animals previously discussed are all present in the child's nursery in some way, shape, or form. Though the book is not entirely striking or novel--both Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny come to mind, for a start--the concluding science notes help to distinguish it. A warm, comforting tale with interesting facts appended. (Picture book. 2-5)

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March 1, 2017

PreS-A sweet bedtime tale about various animals drifting off to sleep with their young. In addition to the titular kangaroo, there are giraffes, chickens, squirrels, bats, sea otters, gorillas, and more. For example, "If I were a giant whale, /I'd sing you songs-slow epic tales./Fin to fin, down in the deep./We'd drift together into sleep." Readers will enjoy the gentle rhyming flow of the text. Raff's illustrations are soothing, done in jewel tones on minimal backdrops. Pair this pleasing title with Nancy Tillman's On the Night You Were Born for storytime. VERDICT The animals are expressive and charming, making this selection perfect for bedtime and one-on-one sharing.-Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2018
A human mother narrator imagines the bedtime routines of animals for her child. Simply composed illustrations in a cool color palette depict smiling parent-and-child animal pairs engaging in affectionate interactions, with two lilting rhyming couplets accompanying each spread. It's a pleasant but otherwise unremarkable bedtime story. Appended "Sleepy Animal Notes" expand on the sleep habits of the represented species.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)