Sleepy Sun, a new release from Mari Priscilla Hanson, is a delightful 23-page bedtime book. You and your children will learn why the sun is "sleepy" after a hard day of warming the world.

"The sun was in the sky
Where birds and airplanes flew
And with the farmers gathering corn
The beautiful sun rays grew"

"Sunshine heated up the desert
Oh, what a hot and busy day!
It streamed through forest cabins
And to countries far away"

With each of these verses comes a creative colorful two-page spread of the artistry of Kathleen M. Hanson. It will be sure to draw your children in the moment they open the book. My favorite page has to be the "countries far away." I love that she includes different cultures in her artwork.

The second to last few pages you and your child will find a gorgeous wash of color as you follow the setting of the sun. The sun has worked hard all day, just as your child has played hard. The final two pages we find the sun sleeping in the night sky.

"It's time to go to sleep now
The stars are shining bright
It will see you in the morning
Goodnight, Sweet Child, goodnight."

It is truly a charming bedtime book. The characters in the story are pleasantly painted, and the peaceful ending elicits the kind of calm you hope your child will have just before bed. In the middle of winter, this book makes you feel all warm inside. Sleepy Sun is a keeper!

-Product review by Kate Kessler, Product Review Manager, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, December, 2007

Another Review

Sleepy Sun by Mari Priscilla Hanson is an entertaining and colorful book that's perfect to read to your child at bedtime. The story tells the tale of a sun and all it did in a day. At the end of the day, the sun is shown sleeping (which might invoke thoughts of rest in your little one).

The story is easy to follow and read, but it seems to be written as a read-aloud to younger children. This might be a good book for the older children to read to their younger siblings at bedtime. The oil-painted illustrations give the book a warm cozy feeling, so you'll probably want to curl up with your children and enjoy this quick little story.

I have found a bit of a problem explaining to my children why the sun is depicted as sleeping in a hammock. They have been taught in their homeschooling that the earth revolves around the sun and when it's not shining on our part of the earth, the sun is shining on the other side of the world. My family might be the only ones who challenge the last phrases and picture in this book, but at least it sparked some lively conversation!

My children have come to love this book and ask for it over and over. My readers enjoy sitting down with it and being able to read most of the words while still being challenged to figure some others out for themselves. Sleepy Sun is an instant hit!

Product review by Lyria Moore, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, November 2007