DIRECT BOOK REVIEWS
ASLEEP AT LAST
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Author: Diane Curley
Reviewer: Florence Osmund
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The Hook
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The rhythmic storytelling in ASLEEP AT LAST creates just the right ambiance for parents getting their child to sleep. A band of playful animal characters provides a delicious coziness for little ones who need to wind down from their daytime activities to get some much-needed rest.
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Plot Summary
Twenty-six unique animals, each one starting with a different letter of the alphabet, are shown doing an activity they would typically do during their awake time. The ants crawl on a picnic blanket. A monkey swings from the trees. The zebra plays hide and seek. On subsequent pages, the animals are depicted sleeping in their respective environments. Fun, colorful illustrations on each page bring the story to life.
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Assessment
Based on personal experience, Diane Curley writes ASLEEP AT LAST to help other parents shift children from their active awake time to a restful sleep. She accomplishes this by showing them how a variety of fun, interesting animals go to sleep following a busy day in their diverse lives. Cartoon-like illustrations fill the pages and do most of the storytelling, making it possible for those who haven’t developed reading skills yet to follow along and even tell the story themselves. The rhythm of the words and repetitiveness of the story line create a relaxing, comfortable environment conducive to falling asleep.
In addition to providing a positive, soothing story-time experience for youngsters before they take a nap or go to bed for the night, valuable takeaways in ASLEEP AT LAST include understanding the importance of rest/sleep for everyone—humans and critters alike, learning the alphabet, familiarization with some not-so-common animals, and exposure to new vocabulary words.
Rating
On a scale of 1 to 5, ASLEEP AT LAST is rated 4.5 by Direct Book Reviews.
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