Review: Feet, Go To Sleep

By Barbara Bottner
Illustrated by Maggie Smith
Available now from Knopf (Penguin Random House)
Review copy

When I saw the cover of FEET, GO TO SLEEP, I knew my niece would enjoy the book.  The little girl wearing glasses and doing a headstand would definitely appeal to her.  (My niece is currently working on her aerial and generally terrifying any adult in her vicinity.)  It's also aimed right at my nephew's age group.

Barbara Bottner's text walks that little girl, Fiona, through going to sleep, body part by body part.  Maggie Smith's images work well with the text.  The book has a dual-image layout, where Fiona going to sleep is in a small box and the bigger image shows just how she used that body part on her seaside vacation.  The text and illustrations work very well together.

One touch I particularly loved is that Fiona's cousins (who she chases with her legs) are black.  It's a small detail that isn't commented on, but is appreciated.  Children are great at picking over the details in picture books through multiple readings.

I'm sure any adult who reads kids to sleep is used to the cry of "One more book!"  FEET, GO TO SLEEP makes for a good finish to bedtime reading.  Fiona's method of going to sleep, bit by bit, is very helpful and soothing.  (The details about how Fiona gets up to mischief during the day do keep the book from being a snore.)  FEET, GO TO SLEEP is a good nighttime read.

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Feet, Go to Sleep by Barbara Bottner

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