MAY WE SLEEP HERE TONIGHT?

by Tan Koide ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 1983

A simple, vastly appealing tale of lost animal hikers--with sly, Three-Bears allusions--by a new Japanese author-and-illustrator team. First, three little gophers, with backpacks and flasks, make their way to the brightly lit cabin--where ""Nobody was at home."" Hesitant (""I wonder if it's rude to stay here without asking?"") but very tired, they climb into the big wooden bed. (The softly-colored, eye-filling interior is an intriguing amalgam of an old Japanese country house and, indeed, the house of the Three Bears.) After a while they hear footsteps, then ""Knock, Knock, 'May we come in, please?' ""--and the door opens to admit two shy ""bunny rabbits"" (also with packs and flasks). When gophers and rabbits are bedded down, comes more knocking, more calling--and three lost raccoons rush in. But when ""the three gophers, the two bunny rabbits and the three raccoons"" are all in bed, there comes a noise not followed by a knock or a call. ""Something huge and black walked in."" Under the covers duck the animals, and there Mr. Bear finds them--to make them welcome (""I often put up travelers for the night. . ."") with a bowl of hot stew--and apples and candies and nuts--before, ""together with Mr. Bear, they got into bed and slept soundly till the morning."" Hardly an extra or a misplaced word; not a picture that doesn't immediately communicate and then lead the eye to little, changing details. (As a full-color book, printed on sturdy stock, it's also a bargain in today's market.)

Pub Date: Sept. 9, 1983

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1983

Categories: CHILDREN'S