  | Awake, asleep Author: Lukoff, Kyle | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
Follow a day in the life of three diverse families and their little ones, as everyday moments like sharing breakfast and exploring the park are rendered full of love, exploration, joy, and wonder.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (05/01/23)
School Library Journal (+) (09/29/23)
Booklist (+) (12/01/23)
The Hornbook (+) (00/07/23)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 09/29/2023 PreS—Gentle narration with a reliable rhythm and sturdy rhyme lightly relates the happenings of an average day. Wake up. Eat breakfast. Take a walk. Play. Study. Learn. Grow. Take a bath, and back to bed. Every page or two comprises only eight words—"A kiss, a blink, a dawn, a break./ A yawn, a peep, a stretch, awake!" Lukoff's text is brilliant in its simplicity, accompanied by Alam's warm digital illustrations. Myriad people young and old are observed doing daily activities; the book has a few families representing multiracial, multigenerational, non-nuclear combinations. The beginning and ending cleverly show the same scenes in reverse, as the sun rises with hope and then sets on this lovely tale, to be repeated again and again. VERDICT A must-have for any collection, and perfect for classroom naptime, read-alouds, baby story hours, or toddler bedtimes.—Chance Lee Joyner - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 05/15/2023 *Starred Review* Lukoff and Alam give readers a glimpse into a full day, from dawn until bedtime, with three families of differing cultural heritage in a clever circular poem filled with camaraderie and love. Using rhyming couplets consisting of a few words per page, the course of the day is entertainingly revealed: “A kiss, a blink, a dawn, a break. A yawn, a peep, a stretch, awake!” After waking, eating breakfast, and getting ready, the three families meet up and take a walk to the park, where the children play and explore their surroundings. The upbeat tale includes true-to-life episodes such as a tired, cranky youngster overdue for a nap, a tumble off a scooter, and a stumble over untied shoelaces, which all result in toddler tears. Cheerful visuals show a burly father with tattooed arms putting on his pink shoes that perfectly match his daughter’s. In another scene, a young girl helps her grandmother stand up from a park bench, and after reaching home, the two of them make tea together. The charming digital paintings work harmoniously with the lyrical text in creating a seamless, charming day-in-the-life tale. The realistic look at the children’s changing moods will ring true for parents, while kids will enjoy watching the youngsters’ activities and the visible warmth of friendship. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
