Bedtime stories about animals that sleep in daytime are increasingly numerous, but this one, about a young fox who stays up past its dawn bedtime, stands out sweetly. Little Fox roams through a bright green woodland, encountering Owl, Mother Deer, Otter and Squirrel, whose games wear him out. Tired but still ruing that “When I get up tonight, there will be no one left awake,” Little Fox encounters Badger, who’s also turning in for the day. Buoyed by the promise of a nocturnal friend, Little Fox turns in with his mom, safe in “a cozy pile of paws and tails.” Macnaughton’s signature luminous pastels depict cuddlesome wild creatures and serene, unsullied landscapes—an idealism that many families will cherish. (Picture book. 3-6)
