Everybody Sleeps (But Not Fred)

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 7, 2015

Review

Fred is an adventurous, ambitious toddler who has a lot of things on his to-do list BEFORE he goes to sleep. Each page presents a scenario in which animals of all species fall asleep (even the monster variety), but not Fred. The rhyme is good though there a few things that might need to be explained like "forty winks" and "prone" and what a Sasquatch is, but they fit the story (though I'm not sure that I agree that poetry books are boring!). The details in each sleep scenario are fantastic: adding something from the sleep scenario prior in every one, a tattoo on a pig's butt, a sheep accountant, a sleep mask on a jelly fish, ants in bunk beds, and on and on. In fact, I wanted the book to continue and was actually a little sad when Fred finally did fall asleep. This is a delightful book and the ending is funny enough to forgive poor Fred for drifting off. I hope that Fred does get to eat 300 cookies one day. Highly recommend.

Overall Book Score: excellent