TIGER CAN’T SLEEP

A sleepless little boy learns that when Tiger can’t sleep, no one else will, either. The tiger in the closet isn’t scary or mean, just frustratingly noisy. In his attempts to amuse himself he drives the little boy crazy. His antics run the gamut from a snack of potato chips and some b-ball, to cartwheels, tap dancing and the simultaneous playing of multiple musical instruments. Each new noise brings the boy to the closet to beg Tiger to be quiet; after apologizing, for a time he is. But Tiger can even find ways of being noisy in an empty closet. One final outburst illuminates the true problem: Tiger is afraid. Just as the silence settles around the two, now snuggled together in bed, a new noise starts to emanate from under the covers. Oh well, at least one of them is finally asleep. Alley’s facial expressions are spot-on, perfectly capturing the frustration of the boy and the innocent mischievousness of Tiger. Both Fore and Alley have masterfully created an atmosphere completely absent of the normal childhood fear of “something” in the closet. Indeed, readers may actually find themselves wishing for a tiger of their own. (Picture book. 3-7)