Time to Sleep - by Denise Fleming (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A warm, inviting bedtime book from a Caldecott winning illustrator.

"Bear sniffed once.
She sniffed twice.
'I smell winter in the air. . . .'"

A chill is in the air and Bear knows it is time for her winter nap. But first, she must tell Snail. And Snail must tell Skunk. And Skunk must tell Turtle. Each animal who tries to put off going to sleep just a little longer sees, smells, hears, or tastes the signs of the impending season. Finally, Ladybug rushes off to tell Bear--already asleep in her cave--the exciting news.

Denise Fleming presents a warm-hearted story about animals of the forest settling down for their winter nap. But, like children who must go to bed for the night, they each find a way to put it off just a little bit longer. Richly illustrated in fall colors, Denise Fleming's Time to Sleep world is right on target for preschoolers.

Review Quotes

"This gem of a picture book, subtly informative and poetic in its simplicity, is certain to become a staple of seasonal story hours. . . . No Children's collection should be without it!" --School Library Journal

"A perfect fit for the audience." --Kirkus Reviews, pointer

"This exuberant cumulative tale teaches a science lesson as it tells a story. Bear can tell ... it is time to hibernate. But before she crawls into her cave to go to sleep, she alerts Snail, who tells Skunk, who tells Turtle, and on and on, until silly, enthusiastic Ladybug awakens Bear to give her the news she already has.... The beautifully textured double-page spreads are expressive and funny." --Booklist

About the Author

Denise Fleming has written and illustrated many children's books, including In the Tall, Tall Grass, Shout! Shout It Out!, and Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy. She won a Caldecott Honor for In the Small, Small Pond. Denise published her first painting in the third grade, when she started taking classes at the Toledo Museum of Art and one of her paintings was chosen to be the cover of a teacher's magazine. She now works primarily with paper, by pouring colored paper pulp through hand-cut stencils. She lives in Toledo, Ohio.