Arlo the Lion Who Couldn't Sleep - by Catherine Rayner (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Arlo is a very tired lion, and he's tried everything to get to sleep. But the grass is too prickly, the trees are too noisy, and his family wriggles awfully too much. Goodness! How is an exhausted lion ever to get a wink of shut-eye? Luckily, owl has a few tricks up her sleeve and Arlo couldn't be happier to give them a whirl. Perfect for reluctant or troubled sleepers, author-illustrator Catherine Rayner's gorgeous illustrations capture a gentle and humorous bedtime story that has a calming, meditative message of mindfulness and centeredness"--Amazon.com.

Book Synopsis

This beautiful, meditative book about a lion who can't sleep is an excellent bedtime read for reluctant sleepers.

Arlo is a very tired lion, and he's tried everything to get to sleep. But the grass is too prickly, the trees are too noisy, and his family wriggles awfully too much. Goodness! How is an exhausted lion ever to get a wink of shuteye? Luckily, owl has a few tricks up her sleeve, and Arlo couldn't be happier to give them a whirl.

This gentle and humorous bedtime story has a calming message of mindfulness and centeredness that's beautifully complemented by gorgeous watercolor, acrylic ink, and pencil art from Kate Greenway Medal-winning author-illustrator, Catherine Rayner.

Review Quotes

"Rayner's soothing language effectively sets the stage for addressing a frequent childhood problem. . . The lullaby portion of the story appears in wavy lines, emphasizing its lyric qualities. Rayner's full-bleed mixed-media spreads skillfully depict the flora and fauna of an African savanna. She makes good use of vivid hues for the sky. . . many will find it a welcome soporific." --Booklist

"[Arlo] is rendered by the writer-illustrator Catherine Rayner in a liquid, blobby, swirly style, barely held together by strong black outlines, which to my eye underscores just how desperate he is to slip the bonds of consciousness... a pretty wash of a painting. . . shows the lion bleeding into a landscape that itself seems to be bleeding into air -- an illustration that looks the way the drift and untethering of falling asleep feels."--The New York Times

★ "Spellbinding. . . alluringly tranquil. . . Gentle and gorgeous." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

About the Author

Catherine Rayner is an award-winning author and illustrator of children's books. She attended Leeds College of Art and Edinburg College of Art. Her work has won the Kate Greenaway Medal and has been short-listed for the same award numerous times. The Sunday Times named Norris, The Bear Who Shared a 100 Children's Modern Classic of the past decade. Catherine also illustrates greeting cards and exhibits her work in galleries and her work is held in collections and archives worldwide. Every autumn, she tours with The Children's Book Show. She lives in England.