The Sleep Book

I love Dr. Seuss's Sleep Book. I do. I love it. Definitely a must-read. I grew up with this one. And even looking at the cover makes me yawn. There are so many memorable things about this bedtime book. Here's how it begins, "The news just came in from the County of Keck that a very small bug by the name of Van Vleck is yawning so wide you can look down his neck. This may not seem very important, I know. But it is. So I'm bothering telling you so." It goes on, "A yawn is quite catching, you see. Like a cough. It just takes one yawn to start other yawns off. NOW the news has come in that some friends of Van Vleck's are yawning so wide you can look down their necks." The yawns continue to spread through this wonderful tale where we meet strange and new creatures. Among my favorites? I tend to like the Bumble-Tub Club. Then again the Offts are a little fun too. But my favorite part by far is the Audio Telly-O-Tally-O Count machine.

On a mountain, halfway between Reno and Rome,
We have a machine in a plexiglass dome
Which listens and looks into everyone's home.
And whenever it sees a new sleeper go flop,
It jiggles and lets a new Biggel-Ball drop.
Our chap counts these balls as they plup in a cup.
And that's how we know who is down and who's up.

Also I love this line, "Five foot-weary salesmen have laid down their load. All day they've raced round in the heat, at top speeds, unsuccessfully trying to sell Zizzer-Zoof seeds which nobody wants because nobody needs." And how about this, "What a fine night for sleeping! From all that I hear, it's the best night for sleeping in many a year. They're even asleep in the Zwieback Motel! And people don't usually sleep there too well. The beds are like rocks and, as everyone knows, the sheets are too short. They won't cover your toes. SO, if people are actually sleeping in THERE...it's a great night for sleeping! It must be the air."

Anyway, I love this one. You should definitely read it and often.