A Songbird Dreams of Singing: Poems About Sleeping Animals. Written by Kate Hosford and illustrated by Jennifer M. Potter. Running Press, Penguin Random House. 2019. $24.99 ages 9 and up

"His mother taught the ocelot
That during daylight hours he ought
To sleep in leaves and trees a lot
Where he is hard to spot.

She also taught the ocelot
To hunt at dawn and dusk a lot
When it is often not as hot
And he is hard to spot.

But if the ocelot forgot ... "

Facing this poem called What The Ocelot Was Taught is a mixed media image of a drowsy ocelot family, softly created in a warm and sleepy color palette. Beneath that the author provides an informative paragraph, as she does on every other double page spread throughout this fine book. This one reads:

"The nocturnal ocelots sleep for twelve to fourteen hours a day in thick vegetation on the ground, in hollow trees, or on tree branches. While the female ocelot sleeps in a different spot every day, once she gives birth to her kittens, she comes back to their den daily to care for them. Ocelots hunt at night, stalking rabbits, rodents, iguanas, or fish. They are also crepuscular, which means their greatest periods of activity are at dawn and dusk. Although ocelots are predators, they are also prey animals, hiding both from animals they want to eat and from animals that want to eat them."

The language and rhyme have a varied tone and tempo for each of the 18 creatures presented. The animal  are as varied as the poetry, and will be of interest to middle years readers. There is a lot  to learn here, and it is presented to readers in easily accessible text that is meant to please and inform. 

I was interested to learn that sperm whales sleep in either a head up or head down position, and there are times when they change from one position to the other. And, that mallard ducks sleep in a row, with the duck on each end keeping one eye open and allowing the other to close, thus letting one side of the brain get some rest while the other keeps watch. I also love the poem about the zebra finch and its early morning songs. I could go on, but then you would have all the information and might not read it yourself or with young readers.

Ms. Hosford explains the differences between nocturnal, crepuscular, cathemeral, and diurnal creatures in her opening introduction, while also explaining that all animals need sleep just as humans do. Her information is clear and useful to readers before the poetry begins. Ms. Potter creates images in keeping with the quiet and dreamy scenarios presented in the poetry. Readers will enjoy a close look at these nighttime habits, and learn as they share each scene.

Engaging and full of interesting information, it encourages future readings.