"A clownfish can wiggle and do a dance.
It eats tiny animals and also plants.
It lives in anemones that keep away foes;
these homes are poison, and other fish know.
But for the clownfish it's safe to stay,
and here it sleeps at the end of each day."
The authors of this informative picture book, that is the third in a series about a wide variety of animals and where they spend their nights, remind readers that everyone needs to sleep, and they also need a place of comfort and safety to do that.
In the ocean there are many creatures; most of those featured here will be familiar to readers. Little ones will make fascinating discoveries that might surprise them. I wonder how often they have asked themselves whether these creatures sleep at night as they do. As an adult, I have rarely considered such a question. There were a few surprises for me.
The watercolor images that grace the cover provide a few hints at some of the animals sure to be mentioned once the book is opened. The calm, sun-splashed artwork is both inviting and worthy of a careful look. The rhythmic text provides an introduction to each, and explains how they find sleep in the surrounding environment.
There is quite a lot to learn here: the octopus has the ability to change color; otters hold hands at night so they won't drift apart while they sleep; a stingray burrows into the sand to hide from any predator; the seahorse holds onto a plant or coral to keep it from drifting; and only one side of a dolphin's brain sleeps while the other remains aware of its surroundings and remembers to breathe fresh air.
The best part is that, once kids begin to read about the sleeping habits of these creatures, they will be encouraged to do follow-up research on other ocean denizens that intrigue them. What about a dugong, a jellyfish, a barnacle, krill, or a lobster?
“When it is time for these animals to rest
where do they go to sleep their best?”
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