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Synopsis
All people sleep. So do all other mammals. Birds sleep, too. Even snakes, fish, and insects have a way of sleeping. How different animals sleep on land, in water, and in the air—and the special ways they do it—is the subject of this fascinating book for young readers.
Using accessible language and scientifically accurate terms, author Mary Batten shows how animals sleep in very different ways and for various lengths of time depending on their size, their physiology, and their habitat. From three-toed sloths hanging from tree branches to dolphins dozing near the ocean's surface, Batten presents a rich variety of wildlife and animal behavior. Additional information about the featured animals as well as simple explanations of terms such as hibernation and torpor are included in sidebars throughout the book.
Enhancing the text are illustrator Higgins Bond's vivid, realistic wildlife illustrations feature animals in their natural environments.
Children's Literature
Everyone sleeps: people and other mammals, birds, retiles, fish, and even insects. Some sleep for long periods of time while others need little sleep. Some sleep at night while others sleep during the day. Animals sleep in different places and have a variety of ways to deal with their habitats, climates, and predators. Award-winning writer Mary Batten structures this educational book about sleep on two levels. Each spread features a general overview of a specific aspect of sleep, such as hibernation or torpor, highlighted by a colored box and larger font. Then a column of text addresses the topic more specifically, providing information about particular creatures. Higgins Bond's soft yet exquisitely detailed acrylic illustrations convey the diversity of habitats and wildlife that all share the need to sleep. The shorter text and large pictures make this book suitable for reading to groups of children, while the more informative text blocks make it adaptable for independent readers and classroom projects related to the animal world. A great addition to a school or classroom library, the book's lack of an overtly evolutionary bent may appeal to parochial schools and homeschooling families as well. Reviewer: Keri Collins Lewis