Sleep tight, my honey by Lisa Shanahan

cover image

Ill. by Wayne Harris. Hachette, 2008.
(Ages: 3+) Alice is a gorgeous bunny, but she just won't go to sleep at nights. Lily and Monty do everything they can think of to get her to sleep. They consult Grandma who advises them to sing a lullaby, Tortoise, who suggests putting her into a shell, and Possum who thinks she needs a big hairy pouch. Butterfly believes that a cocoon would do the trick and Bat is convinced she needs to sleep upside down. Nothing works, until Lily finds the perfect solution!
Young children who have a baby in the house will know about the noise that can keep everyone awake at night. Shanahan has written a story with a memorable refrain: 'Sleep tight, my honey, You gorgeous bunny'. Children will enjoy repeating this as well as making the crying Waaa waaa noises that baby Alice makes. Along the way they will incidentally learn about the nocturnal habits of many animals.
The illustrations by Wayne Harris are a delight, with beautiful lavender, blue, yellow and pale orange colours. Alice has an engaging grin on her little face during the day and a wide-open mouth to show her displeasure about being left alone at night. The Rabbit family is portrayed as a warm and caring extended family, where love is very evident.
This is a book that pre-schoolers will enjoy, and that adults will love to read aloud.
Pat Pledger

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