From the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, I See the Animals Sleeping: A Bedtime Story emphasizes the importance of sleep for both animals and children. With simple rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, this beautiful picture book highlights the diverse and fascinating sleep habits of animals. Some sleep hidden away in burrows and dens, while others doze out in the open. Standing up, lying down, in a tree, on the water - animals are sleeping in many different ways and in a variety of locations! Children will love seeing familiar animals such as a tiger, fox and giraffe. They will also be fascinated by more unusual creatures like a platypus and sloth. Each sleeping animal is brought to life in a richly detailed illustration that will capture the attention of children and spark their imagination. Interesting sleep facts also are provided to teach children about the different sleep habits of all the animals in the book. I See the Animals Sleeping: A Bedtime Story will encourage children to crawl into bed so that they can sleep too. Additional information about children and sleep is provided in a note to parents. Printed in the USA. How does a lion sleep? A red fox? How about an elephant? With this new title from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, young readers will learn exactly how their favorite animals go about getting their rest. The information is delivered simply - charmingly illustrated scenes of sleeping animals and their habitats juxtaposed with a four-line rhyme and a fact box. From flamingoes to platypuses, the scenes are elegantly done, but never overly arty - it's impossible not to smile at illustrator Roberta Baird's rendition of a dozing sea otter. The Sleep Facts! boxes offer lots of points for discussion - the differences in the ways many animals prefer to sleep, as well as their ideal habitats, and wonderful details about the animals themselves, but this information is never overwhelming. While the majority of the rhymes are pitch-perfect for both the audience and the subject matter, readers may find themselves stumbling here and there over a few forced lines. This book, however, offers solid, engaging nonfiction for toddlers and preschoolers about one of their favorite subjects: the animal kingdom. This makes a great addition to any children's collection, and will be a terrific support to early childhood educators in their lesson plans and circle time. Recommended for toddlers and preschoolers. --Vicki Rakowski, assistant director of youth services for the Lisle Library District in Lisle, Illinois I See the Animals Sleeping: A Bedtime Story is a delightful children's story from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Thomas Heffron has written a book that allows for integrated instruction in a classroom setting: from reading and language arts to science and health. The book is introduced by allowing the children to predict what animals they will read about, activating prior knowledge they have about them. There is a smooth and rhythmic feel to the story that creates an enjoyable read. Each page rhymes within itself, helping the ease and flow of the book for the children. The colorful and beautiful illustrations from Roberta Baird help the children visualize the habitats of each animal as it appears. Differentiated instruction and comprehension of the story is achieved by the information given in a Sleep Facts! box for each animal. This provides extra learning opportunities for children looking for a little more about the animals' sleep patterns, environment and adaptations. This is also a perfect connection to science instruction and standards. The conclusion of the book relates back to the children. It helps them to value the importance of sleep in regard to their health and well-being. Children will be instantly drawn into I See the Animals Sleeping: A Bedtime Story . They will enjoy the pictures, storyline and writing pattern, while learning about the science of animals, their habitats and the importance of sleep. --Beth Smith, first-grade teacher at St. Paul Catholic School in Valparaiso, Indiana Thomas Heffron is director of communications for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and a graduate of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. He is the author of the children's picture book The Animals Sleep: A Bedtime Book of Biomes , which is also published by the AASM. Thomas lives outside Chicago with his wife and children.