How Birds Sleep

K-Gr 4–In a double debut, married author and illustrator explore the sleeping habits of birds from all over the world: Bolivia, India, Australia, South Korea, Finland, El Salvador, and more. The stunning display type on the title page lights up like a neon sign while the endpapers feature constellation-like outlines of the featured birds, just two indications of the attention to detail and arresting inquiry readers will find across every page. The tree swallows of the United States swirl in an elaborate dance before settling into reeds, whereas a barn owl will set up watch the whole night through. The long-tailed tit of England will cuddle up in a pile for the night with others, while the vernal hanging parrots of Thailand sway nicely upside down from a branch. The surrounding countryside for every bird featured offers more clues to other inhabitants, e.g., the tidy fields of Thai farmland and its buildings, lighted up against the night sky, where a lone person is gazing out on a balcony on stilts as a tiger lopes past. Illustrations, one after another, take readers on a global journey, united by a theme always of interest to children—how do they sleep? This is accessible nature writing at its best, and will send many a young researcher off for more information. Author’s note, resources, more.