The tale of Sleepy Bears is a book that is made for bedtime or naptime. This story is all about a mother bear and her six cubs. Each of the cubs needs to go to sleep for the winter in order to hibernate (when read during the daytime this gives adults a great chance to explain to children about hibernation), but the bears can’t fall asleep. So mother bear decides to send them off into dreamy adventures.

First she takes Baxter and sends him off to dream of pirates. Then Bella, the acrobat of the family, to dream about being a part of the circus. Winifred is sent off to the jungle, and Tosca gets his own kingdom. Ali loves foods and so goes to a land filled with delicious treats, and Baby Bear, of course, gets to dream of moonbeams. Each bear, before they fall asleep, yawns, which often makes the child who is being read to yawn as well – as well as their parents! By the time Baby Bear is put to sleep in Sleepy Bears, children are ready to fall asleep, if they haven’t fallen asleep already.

The tale of Sleepy Bears is only made better by the beautiful illustrations created by Kerry Argent. These illustrations are colorful and yet not so bright that they keep children awake. They’re soothing and, along with the words, help children to feel warm and secure before snuggling down and going to sleep.

When Sheep Sleep was written by Numeroff and illustrated by David McPhail. This story is all about a young girl who counts those big fluffy creatures in order to fall asleep. But one night she realizes that the little guys she’s counting are typically fast asleep! What, then, is she going to do when they are sleeping? She decides that she can count other animals to help her to drift off! So she goes in search of other animals that she can count.

First she finds cows, then pigs, and even bears and rabbits! But unfortunately she realizes that all of these animals are sleeping as well! What, then, will she be able to count in order to get to sleep? During her travels she sees many animals who are all cuddled and nuzzled together, sleeping peacefully in their habitats and under the stars. When she finally gets back home, she realizes that her trip to visit all of the animals has tired her out enough that she is easily able to fall asleep.

Unlike many of Numeroff’s children’s books, this book has a gentle rhyming scheme that is perfect for putting children to sleep, as it is repetitive and extremely easy to listen to. When Sheep Sleep is not just a book for when children are trying to go to sleep, however, but can be enjoyed by even the youngest in the family at any time during the day. If you’re looking for a tale for children about sleeping, When Sheep Sleep is one of the best.

The rabbit family’s routine in the book is similar to most human families. The family eats dinner and the young rabbits help their mother with cleaning up. As the night continues the family goes on from one activity to the next effortlessly. The beautiful rhyming text written by author Gillian Shields keeps the reader engaged and entertained.

When the World is Ready for Bed is filled with watercolor illustrations created by Anna Currey. They beautifully illustrate the events inside the rabbit family’s household at the end of the day. The colors transform as the day slowing ends making the reader feel as if they’ve already drifted to dreamland.

The picture book is recommended for children ages 3 to 6 years old. Young readers will be enchanted by the lifelike rabbit family. The story easily relates back to the young readers own bedtime routine. Parents with little ones who have a difficult time settling down and preparing for bed will enjoy this book too. The calming story will encourage their sleepyheads to enjoy the quiet moment and get ready for sleep.

Childrens books make wonderful presents. When the World is Ready for Bed is a wonderful gift for a baby or toddler. It will be a cherished addition to their bedtime routine and can be enjoyed for many years to come. Parents, grandparents and caregivers will enjoy the quiet moments just before the lights are turned out when they can snuggle with their little ones and enjoy the peaceful story together.