Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover

December 1, 2023
A slumber party is thrilling--until it isn't. Sleepy Sheepy is excited: He's packed his suitcase and can't wait for his first sheepover at Grammy and Grampy Sheepy's house. He imagines the fun things he and his "two favorite folks" will do all night long. But anticipation is different from reality. Sleepy bids his parents good night. All of a sudden, this sheepover business doesn't seem so fun. Everything feels different. The blankets are scratchy, his jammies don't match, his tummy feels twisty, and his eyes are misty; even Grampy's potato collection doesn't distract him. Sleepy Sheepy can't sleep; he misses home. Sleepy can't explain his feelings to his beloved grandparents. But this wise pair know what's what. Grampy whips up a batch of cookies, Grammy reads Goodnight Mooo'n (featuring a cow, natch)--Sleepy's dad's favorite--and all three dance to the Woolen Stones' album Let It Bleat. Guess what? An exhausted Sleepy Sheepy hops into bed, ignores the blankets' scratchiness, and falls asleep, feeling "right at home." Cummins brings her gently humorous story, written in bouncy rhymes, to a predictable ending, but readers will enjoy it nonetheless, especially kids (er, lambs) who have had their own first "sheepovers" at a beloved relative's home. The cheerful, lively illustrations are endearing; boldfaced typefaces of different sizes are incorporated playfully into the text. Young readers needn't feel sheepish about appreciating this sweet, entertaining story. (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2023
Preschool-Grade 2 In the Sleepy Sheepy (2023), a lamb known by that name resists bedtime until his exhausted parents prevail. In this sequel, Sleepy Sheepy is eagerly looking forward to spending the night with "his two favorite people" (his grandparents) at their house. But after his parents have left: "his tummy got twisty, and his eyes got misty." Also, he can't sleep. Luckily, his grandparents know just what to do. After giving Sleepy his Pa's old favorite book, Goodnight Mooo'n, to read, Grammy and Grampy bake cookies, dance with him, and tightly tuck him into bed, where the little sheep falls fast asleep. As in the previous volume, the text is relatively short and, while written in prose, includes rhyming couplets from time to time, just for fun. The story line is true to the experience of the many children who feel excited yet anxious at the prospect of spending a night away from home. Oswald's illustrations are both amusing and endearing. As a classroom read-aloud choice, this picture book is sure to elicit sleepover memories from young listeners.

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March 15, 2024

Toddler-PreS-With humor that can only be dubbed fluffy and terrific bouncy rhymes, this warm bedtime story of a "sheep-over" will be a comfort for young children to hear before or during their own first overnight at a beloved relative's house. The hero of the first book, Sleepy Sheepy, is excited to pack for his first sleepover at his grandparents' home; but once he is there, he finds nothing feels quite right, from the scratchy sheets to his grampy's potato collection. Grammy and Grampy Sheepy soon address their grandson's homesickness by staying by his side and surrounding him with familiar comforts, like reading his pa's favorite bedtime story. Cummins and Oswald astutely frame Sheepy's evolving feelings in a relatable manner, showing his mood steadily change from delight to anxiety, from sadness to an ease grounded in the young one's understanding that he is loved. After such a swirl of evening activities, tuckered out Sheepy finally lies down, surrounded by soft pastel colors. Oswald's cartoon-like illustrative style features wonky shapes that bubble across the pages, mimicking the sheep's bumpy wool and highlighting his wide-eyed expressions, while light purples, golds, and blues express an atmospheric serenity that Sheepy and readers will need.VERDICT With its strong story and ebullient illustrations, this story can help address readers' personal apprehension about sleepovers or spark discussion in a preschool setting about recognizing and easing homesickness.-Rachel Mulligan

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