The Very Long Sleep

by Polly Noakes, Polly Noakes (Illustrator)

Overview

Fox, Chipmunk, Marmot and Bear are such good friends that they decide to build a forest home and live in it together. But when winter comes, Chipmunk, Marmot and Little Bear take to their beds. Fox can’t wake them up at all. Fox is lonely and confused, especially when parcels start to arrive for the other three animals. What on earth can be in them, and will the three friends ever wake up?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781786281289
Publisher:	Child's Play-International
Publication date:	04/01/2018
Series:	Child's Play Library
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.62(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Polly grew up in a busy creative household in Cambridge. She was the youngest of three sisters, who spent their days drawing, making books and staging plays and ballets. Her love of illustration started at Cambridge School of Art some years ago and recently she returned to study on the MA in Children Book Illustration. She lives in the New Forest with her family and rescued Romanian street dog Bertie. The forest is a constant inspiration for her stories. On her walks Polly finds many of the items she uses for texture in her illustrations.

Polly grew up in a busy creative household in Cambridge. She was the youngest of three sisters, who spent their days drawing, making books and staging plays and ballets. Her love of illustration started at Cambridge School of Art some years ago and recently she returned to study on the MA in Children Book Illustration. She lives in the New Forest with her family and rescued Romanian street dog Bertie. The forest is a constant inspiration for her stories. On her walks Polly finds many of the items she uses for texture in her illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

03/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—Good friends Fox, Chipmunk, Marmot, and Bear decide to build a home together in the forest. They love spending time together and all is cheery, except that Marmot, Chipmunk, and Bear forgot to mention that they like to sleep in the winter. A lot. Fox tries to wake his slumbering friends and cooks an abundance of food each night in case they wake up. But of course, his three friends continue to snooze. The arrival of three mysterious packages, delivered by a pigeon, and Fox's curiosity bring about a joyful surprise ending. Noakes's illustrations evoke the textures one would find on bark, leaves, moss, and other items found in the woods. The use of crisp white backgrounds on most pages allows the animals, particularly the auburn red Fox, to really pop off of the page. The story ends with Fox advertising for a new housemate to join the group of friends—one who does not hibernate. VERDICT Expressive, friendly forest animals are always a welcome addition to a storytime. The basic introduction to hibernation also makes this a STEAM crossover title for programming success.—Lisa Kropp, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, NY

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