When I'm Sleepy

by Jane R. Howard, Lynne Cherry (Illustrator)

This enchanting bedtime story will soothe and beguile children and adults alike. As a little girl wonders what it would be like to sleep like animals do - curled up in a basket, or hanging upside down, or lying in a hollow log - the carefully detailed pictures show her peacefully slumbering as she rests on a cat's warm fur, hangs companionably next to a bat, and is lovingly held by a raccoon. Although many of the pictures are funny, the overall atmosphere of the book is tender, dreamy and (yawn) very soporific.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Fiction

24 pages, Hardcover

First published September 17, 1985

Reviews

[Lyndsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved this book for 25 years. My mom and I checked it out from the library and accidentally never returned it, so now I’m sharing it with my children. I started out loving the illustrations because they are beautiful down to the smallest detail, but the story is also cute. My kiddos don’t sit still well but they sit for this book.

[Aneesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kid looks just like mine, especially when she's sleeping standing up.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

There isn't a lot of text if you'd like a longer bedtime story., but the illustrations in this book are so beautifully detailed. Throughout a little girl wonders what it's like to sleep like different animals sleep, and ends in her own bed, surrounded by all of the stuffed versions of the animals throughout the book. It's very sweet.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got to share this picture book from my childhood with Lily and it was wonderful. :) The language is sleep-inducing (in a good way!) and the illustrations are beautifully realistic. Lily noticed the connection between her final dream and all the others.

[Kelsey Preston]

This is a great book because you are reading a great book, but you are also learning about different animals and how they sleep at the same time. The illustrations in the book are also amazing. They really go in to such great detail of the different animals and their habitats.

[Jenna Rozell]

My toddler loves this book! The images draw him in, help him identify and name different animals, and the story helps relax him (especially when the word “yawn” pops up). It’s a perfect book for a nighttime routine!

[Jamie Macaluso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has great pictures and keeps your interest during the book. Creates of a sense of appreciate for getting to sleep in your own bed at night instead of in the desert or underwater.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this delightful book for my son's daughter. So looking forward to reading it to her.

[Lulu Cares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet little sleepy time book. Fantastic illustrations!

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful bedtime book. Illustrations particularly contribute so much to the book in their cuddly tranquility.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the softness and slow paced of this story. The sleepy dreamscapes are so relaxing and sweet.

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Mommy's review from 11/11/10)


This is perfect for bedtime or naptime! Perfect for younger babies or older toddlers even! Julia is five years old and thought it was the citest thing ever.
Lynne Cherry's illustrations match the story perfectly. They're simply adorable.
The text is minimal and it works. The illustrations are a bigger part of the story.
In the story the little sleepy girl lays in bed and wishes about all the ways to fall asleep with different animals. Curled in a cat bed with a cats tail around her, on a log with some turtles, hugged up with a raccoon, standing like and with some giraffes, etc. It's absolutely beautiful and I doubt there is a child alive who won't love to "take" her wishes for themselves. Heck, I'd like to daydream about a few of them myself!
The little girl looks so peaceful in every single picture and there's no other word to describe the pictures, the story, the whole book other than beautiful.

[Laura Bang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right from the cover of the book, you can tell it’s a good book with which to tuck little ones into bed. The cool colors of Cherry’s illustration produce a quiet feeling that matches the soft lines of the sleeping girl and bear. The cozy feeling of the illustrations continues throughout the story as the girl, clad in pink footy pajamas, imagines how different types of animals sleep. Howard’s sparse text is perfect for reading aloud in a quiet voice, stretching out the syllables to promote a soporific effect (“When I’m so sleepy that I just keep yawning and yawning…”). The book has just the right amount of words, leaving most of the details up to the illustrations and the imagination. A wonderful bedtime story for snuggling under the covers.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book runs through a girl's thoughts as she falls asleep, imagining the different ways various animals sleep.

As she pictures herself in various forms of sleep, she grows more and more tired until she admits, at the end, that she's happy sleeping in a bed, like people do.

There's nothing more to it than that, it's just a short book for bedtime, that's all.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used the Spanish version for a bedtime-themed program for both Spanish and bilingual story times. In the story, a little girls imagines what it must be like to sleep like a certain animal, a bat, raccoon, etc. The charming, peaceful illustrations show the girl and a particular animal sleeping soundly. The end shows the little girl in her own bed.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely cannot read this book without yawning. My kids use to request it at bedtime constantly and it was a real struggle to get though. The wonderful art a perfect match for the gentle, thoughtful tone of the text.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a very sweet concept, and for some reason the girls are both wide-eyed at every drawing. It's fun to see that illustrations of a little girl curled up with various animals - some that they find scary - are pushing the boundaries of their art ideas.

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

great bedtime story...little girl imagines being all sorts of sleeping animals but then ends up warm in her own bed.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story is simple and the illustrations are beautiful. A great bedtime story.

[Suzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great bedtime story that has a soothing, relaxing feel to it, and a beautiful little red head that looks like my Taylor!

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

My grandson chose this as one of his bedtime stories.

[Bridget]

On the hardcover shelf.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 Stars This is cute enough. I great bed time story. I don't love the pictures but they get the message across! I like the story! Cute one!

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was drawn in by the illustrations in this clever book. I love to buy this for all the young children in my life.

[Jessie Jury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautifully illustrated book! Perfect for bedtime.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very nice book. Lovely illustrations.