Sleepy Book

Bears spend the winter months slumbering deep in dark caves. But they’re not the only wild animals with strange sleep habits. Horses do it standing up in stalls or fields, their tails switching at troublesome flies. Seals like to stretch out their flippers when settling in to sleep. And your dog or cat probably curls up quite happily in a cozy box or basket.

Sleepy Book by Charlotte Zolotow invites young readers to explore bedtime in fields, forests, and other places animals make their homes. In the book, children will find many familiar favorites, like a flock of birds huddled for warmth, but they’re also sure to make new friends, from a snowy crane standing on one long leg to a tiny black spider fast asleep in its web. Each facing page contains a beautiful illustration by Vladimir Bobri.

Originally published in 1958, Sleepy Book is one of the most recent additions to the Bodleian Library’s children’s book imprint, and it’s the perfect story to read before saying goodnight.

Charlotte Zolotow (1915–2013) was an author and editor of children’s books. Her best known books include Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present, with illustrations by a young Maurice Sendak; My Grandson Lew; and William’s Doll. Vladimir Bobri (1898–1986) was an artist and illustrator, whose work appeared in many children’s books, as well as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, McCall’s, and other magazines.
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