SLEEP HERE, WAKE THERE

A child solves a bedtime conundrum.

Intrigued by aliens—as evidenced by a tiny, three-eyed green stuffie on the bed and the extraterrestrial books scattered all around—César, who’s brown-skinned with tight dark curls, has a nighttime mystery to solve: “Every night I [go] to sleep here, in my house. And every morning I [wake] up there, in my aunty’s house!” Is César sleepwalking? Perhaps the bed contains a magical portal. Or are aliens responsible? While brainstorming the many possibilities, the child begins drawing on the wall—much to Mama’s consternation—and the investigation is cut short. There’s only one way to learn the truth: stay up all night. As the tale comes to a sweet conclusion, we learn that each evening, Mama, who works nights, drops César off at Aunty’s place. In an author’s note, Zero notes that the story is rooted in his own childhood memories. Bright pinks, greens, and blues saturate this Brazilian import—a testament to the “it takes a village” mindset—while smaller details on each page are inked in black but not filled in. César’s heartwarming realization will resonate with any kid who’s ever wondered about the strangeness of life: “Even though there was a simple answer to my big mystery, it still felt magical to me.”

A warm exploration of curiosity and family.