Sleepyheads

Why It's On Our Shelf

The rhyme scheme in this one has a lullaby quality that makes it perfect for the last book before sleep. Each animal is settling down in its own way, which normalizes different approaches to sleep. The repeated 'hush little...' at the start of each page creates a calming rhythm. The illustrations by Joyce Wan use a limited color palette that feels nighttime-appropriate without being scary. What I like is that it's gentle without being boring - there's enough variety to hold interest, but everything moves in the direction of sleep rather than excitement.