Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers on February 23, 2021
Genres: Children's
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A little boy can’t fall asleep, so he asks the animals how they do it. Will he doze off if he floats on his back like an otter? If he keeps one eye open like a duck? If he hangs upside down like a bat? Nothing seems to help, but all this trying is getting tiring…
This whimsically illustrated book features the real sleeping habits of ten different animals. Whether you snooze like a whale or nod off like a giraffe, Sleep Like Me is the perfect bedtime story for restless nights.
A perfect bedtime book, Sleep Like Me explores the different ways animals sleep as seen through the eyes of a young boy trying to find the perfect sleeping position. You and your children will laugh together as you see the boy take the advice of a number of different animals. “Rest your head on your back” says the giraffe. “Hang upside down” says the bat. “Float on your back” says the otter. But no matter what he tries, the little boy cannot go to sleep! He finally returns home after his adventure, feeling rather sleepy. He stretches out on his bed and then…sound asleep.
Tatia Nadareishvili has said that her inspiration for the book was a documentary that featured sperm whales sleeping vertically in the water. It kickstarted something in her brain and she began researching how different animals slept. Sleep Like Me was the result. Did you know that albatrosses sleep while flying? You do now!
For my kids, acting out the book right before bed was the perfect “get the wiggles out” transition to bedtime. We laughed and laughed about how the animals were all wearing pajamas. We learned about new animals they’d never seen before. (I guess we’d never discussed otters before?) And then we all yawned, stretched out, and said goodnight.