Lena's Sleep Sheep: A Going-to-Bed Book

PreS-K—Every evening Lena counts her sheep to help her fall asleep, but tonight they are afraid of the "round monster" in the window. Lena tries to explain that it's just the Moon, but those silly creatures won't listen, so she convinces them to dress up in disguises to scare it away. When a bit of cloud covers it, the sheep finally line up so she can count them properly. This simple story lulls readers gently toward slumber with a clever heroine and a simple premise. The beautiful gouache and watercolor illustrations are classic Lobel, from the detailed design of Lena's flowered footboard to the clever layout, which maintains separate illustration spaces on the right- and left-hand sides until the final spread-a satisfying, expansive picture of Lena's sheep flying overhead as she drifts off to sleep.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD