Stop That Yawn!

Gabby Wild has a missing tooth, brown skin, and beaded "click-clacky hair," and she has had it with sleep. She convinces her grandmother to take her to Never Sleeping City, where neon lights blink, the streets hop with revelers, and everyone stays up all night long. But somehow, on the Ferris wheel, Granny yawns--and yawns, of course, are contagious. "Grit your teeth, seal your lips!" Gabby cries, as the misty blue yawn flies into the night and people start dropping off in its wake. Dashing through the town after it, Gabby makes a ruckus, hijacks an opera performance, and collars the mayor, but it's no use. Before long, the unthinkable has happened, and Gabby is exhaling zzz's. Text by Levis (Ida, Always) crackles, and show-stopping artwork by Pham (Grace for President) is great fun. In affectionate homage to In the Night Kitchen (and maybe to Little Nemo before it), Gabby pilots her own plane into panels of dreamlike urban landscapes filled with carnival characters and vaudevillian antics; other picture book Easter eggs await. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

PreS-Gr 2-Gabby Wild is sick of Sleepytown. So, when it's time for bed, she begs her granny to take her some place awake! Instead of settling down, the two jet out to Never Sleeping City, a bustling metropolis with a band, an opera, and even a carnival. Gabby and Granny have a blast exploring the sights--until Granny lets loose a yawn that travels through the town. Gabby chases after it, trying to stop the yawn before it puts everyone in Never Sleeping City out of commission. But each time the yawn sweeps through a part of the town, its residents are left snoring. Levis has created a thoroughly engaging bedtime read that will have little ones fighting back yawns of their own, and Pham's illustrations are an excellent accompaniment. Gabby leaps off the page in pursuit of the soothing blue yawn that turns the bustling and busy streets of Never Sleeping City cozy and calm. With a combination of eye-catching illustrations and entertaining text, this engaging picture book is a fantastic read-aloud that encourages plenty of participation. VERDICT Snap it up for pajama storytime or for bedtime reads displays or shelves.--Mimi Powell, Library Systems and Services, Kissimmee, FL