Following the format of the familiar “Over in the Meadow,” this gently illustrated book is a calmer version of those that have recently been published. As the sun sets, a rhino settles her child down for sleep and a monkey makes a bed for her two babies. “It was bedtime in the jungle, / And beneath a shady tree / A leopard tucked her paws / Around her babies three. / ‘Snuggle,’ said their mother. / ‘We’ll snuggle,’ said the three. / And they snuggled up together, beneath the shady tree.” And so the counting continues, through wolf, tiger, peahen, wild pig, duck, crocodile and elephants. In contrast to the original, which encourages actions and participation, this lulls listeners with words like nestle, cuddle, hush, settle and snooze. Nicely paired with the soporific text are Butler’s realistic acrylic-and–colored-pencil illustrations. Soft colors and subtle textures lure readers into the scenery. Easily fitting the original tune, this is sure to send many little ones off to dreamland. (Picture book. 2-6)
