"Let's climb up a tree and survey the whole street.
Let's not close our eyes till our search is complete.
We can get on our bikes so we cover more ground.
Where can that mouse be? Where could he be found?"
This is the just kind of story that kids love to read and share! It begins with a cat who loves adventure, and its diligent quest to find Sleepy, 'The Prince of the Night'. Sleepy is a tiny mouse, and nowhere to be found at the moment. That is all the incentive needed to spur a band of intrepid felines to take up the search and make their way from scene to scene in their community, always on the lookout for their intended victim.
Every turn of the page provides a crowded scene, overflowing with details and exhibiting a brand-new setting. The number of cats presented is quite phenomenal and will have readers eagerly searching to find the right ones. Sleepy is there as well, each and every time. They move from a street in the neighborhood, to a weekend parade, to a sandy beach, to a chilly mountaintop, to a warm and sultry swamp, to the dingy slug caves ... even to the moon. In each setting, the observant child will find Sleepy, 'The King of Moonlight'.
By the time they return home from their space journey, the fourteen pursuers are annoyed and extremely tired. In the end, they do have stories to share:
"I got some new friends, got to lead a parade.
I got sand down my shorts and got lost in a cave.
I got snow in my socks, got to ride a T. rex.
I got shoes full of moondust, full of little moon specks.
But! I did not
get
Sleepy."
The detail in the mixed media artwork engages and entertains readers from start to finish. There are many stories to tell here as the story moves from page to page. The author cleverly entices the readers to return for a reread when they find (on the back cover) that each of the cats has a name and a unique look. Huzzah! Another chance to test their observation skills, and patience. Enjoy!
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