IF YOU WANT TO FALL ASLEEP
THE BLOG TOUR 2018
Written by Jackie Azúa Kramer
Illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg
(Clavis Books; $17.99, Softcover $9.95, Ages 3 and up)

Short summary of If You Want to Fall Asleep by Jackie Azúa Kramer with illustrations by Lisa Brandenburg: It’s a sweet bedtime battle between Little Mouse’s endless excuses for his lack of sleep and his mother’s loving and imaginative suggestions. A night filled with pirates, pancakes, floating among stars. Wait for yawning. And stretching. And sleepy thoughts. And drowsy eyes.

GRWR REVIEW:

I have always loved bedtime stories and have the fondest memories of reading them to my children. A lot of picture books simply become bedtime reads by virtue of their popularity even though they do not necessarily induce nodding out, while others, just as good, are intentionally written that way. The latter applies to Azúa Kramer’s sweet, comforting tale. Mama Mouse has put Little Mouse to bed but he’s not quite ready to lay still, something we’re all familiar with. In slightly muted colors, Brandenburg’s cheerful mixed media artwork depicts Little Mouse’s toys and stuffed animals at first being a big distraction. After Mama Mouse softly suggests the following to bring on yawning and get Little Mouse into the sleepy zone …

If you want to fall asleep and you’re jumping on your bed …
Read pages in a story.
Not one or two or three,
but the whole book, from cover to cover.

… readers will actually see the stuffed animals and toys have reacted more to Mama’s suggestion than Little Mouse has. It’s clear that his mind’s moving a million miles an hour. Helping to calm his over-active brain, Mama Mouse offers another soothing refrain and gently suggests he think about scrumptious food and wait for stretching. This repetition of mom’s reassuring words continues as Little Mouse remains unable to sleep meaning more visits to Mama, more ways to settle down, until he can finally fall asleep.

With quiet sounding language and a soothing rhythm, Azúa Kramer’s writing does an impressive job of lulling little ones to sleep. Parents will appreciate that there’s just the right amount of words since the ideal bedtime story should be under 10 minutes long to read. And when, in the end, Mama Mouse gives hugs to her child, it’s a wonderful way to wrap up story time and kiss your own child good-night. I have no doubt that they’ll be relaxed, ready to drift off to dreamland filled with loving thoughts and a smiling face.

・Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

See what other reviewers on the blog tour have said about
author Azúa Kramer’s book here: https://www.jackieazuakramer.com/iwfa-blog-tour

Read about illustrator Brandenburg’s technique in this Kidlit411 interview.

Jackie Azúa Kramer

The Green Umbrella (NorthSouth, Feb. 2017)
The Boy & the Eight Hundred Pound Gorilla (Candlewick Press, 2020)
If You Want to Fall Asleep (Clavis, May 2018)
That’s for Babies (Clavis, TBD)
Miles Won’t Smile (Clavis, TBD)
How Lilly Ate the Rainbow (FastPencil, 2011)

Visit the author to learn more: Jackieazuakramer.com

Twitter @jackiekramer422

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