GOOD NIGHT, ESCARGOT

Methinks the gastropod doth protest too much.

Grab your pjs, toothbrush, and sleeping bag, because everyone’s favorite snail is inviting you to “a soirée pyjama”! Now starring in a fifth adventure, Escargot is quite the self-described expert on everything sleepover. There are movies to watch and snacks to eat. There’s also one activity that is forbidden: falling asleep! Luckily, Escargot has a foolproof plan to postpone sleep. Anytime readers see the snail starting to drift off, they are to yell, “WAKE UP, ESCARGOT!” As time passes, Escargot begins to fade, but our tiny hero initially refuses to admit defeat: “Probably you were sleeping and you dreamed that Escargot was asleep.” But finally, Escargot capitulates to exhaustion—and perhaps readers will, too, lulled by the sleepy snail’s soothing words: “Let us close our eyes and maybe also our mouths….But first, I must give you a kiss good night. Mwah!” With oversize, Disneyesque eyes and ineffable charm, Escargot is cuteness incarnate, while Slater’s peppy narration is a delight. Consider reading this book at storytime in a French accent. The book includes both familiar French terms and those likely to be new (like doudou for “stuffie”).

Magnifique! An ideal choice to share before a child’s first sleepover.