Not since The Cat in the Hat threw an unsupervised household into total chaos has there been such a disruptive force on peace and quiet as the weird marsupial creature that stars in this scream-aloud book. The creature, an ungainly blend of kangaroo, anteater, and long-eared rabbit, has one mission: to get you to sleep. As soon as he pulls out his bullhorn and addresses the reader in bold capital letters, the reader knows this sleep coach's approach is doomed. There are four parts to his program: First, he conducts a Q and A on what would get the reader to sleep, suggesting things like 50 monster trucks and 50 electric guitars. Next, the creature, noticing the reader is still awake, escalates his efforts, exhorting readers to join in a chant of "FALL ASLEEP!" as they look at an illustration of a packed football stadium. Third and fourth, the creature tries magic tricks and, finally, resorts to counting sheep--but these sheep are pursued by fire-breathing dragons. The boldly colored and lettered illustrations are loud and zany in their own right. Guaranteed to produce laughter, not sleep.

John targets the wide-awake with this comically riotous story that loudly promises to leave readers "sleeping PEACEFULLY" by its conclusion. Directing via megaphone, an orange kangaroo in blue cowboy boots asks what would tire readers, then attempts to induce zzzs by engaging with possible answers to that question: a parade of monster trucks, a stadium of animals chanting "FALL ASLEEP!" When these efforts flop, the 'roo recommends other unlikely approaches, including counting sheep... and the fire-breathing dragons chasing them. "ARE YOU COUNTING THEM??? WHY ISN'T THIS WORKING?!?!?!" laments the perplexed narrator. The marsupial eventually relents ("So... what would help you fall asleep, then? Less yelling?"), reluctantly pulling a bed out of its remarkable pouch. Tallec's humorous, signature-styled pictures easily keep pace with the book's mock-serious tone, foregrounding a charismatic protagonist who will help kids find their way, if not to sleep, then at least to plentiful giggles. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)

This is not your average bedtime story. "ATTENTION, READER!!! / This book will get you to SLEEP./ It's TRUE." An excessively eager kangaroo, with a blue megaphone and snazzy blue boots, is up for the challenge of sending youngsters off to slumberland. Want to fall asleep? Pshaw, that's easy. All you need are some monster trucks to roar by, "RUMBLING and BUMBLING and CRASHING." Or maybe a menagerie of animals to lull you to sleep with screeching electric guitars: "RAOO RAOOO RAOOOOOOO!!! YOU ASLEEP YET?" Surely counting sheep will do the trick…except they're running too fast for you to count them because they're being chased by dragons! Tallec's free-wheeling style shines as distraction upon distraction pile up on the book's high-energy double-page spreads. John's chatty narration and signature dry humor ("Hmm? / You're wide-a--what? / You're wide-AWAKE?") propel the story with frenetic fun. Young audiences won't hesitate to join in as the overzealous marsupial leads a stadium full of critters in a boisterous chant ("FALL ASLEEP! FALL ASLEEP! FALL ASLEEP!"), and the amusing sound effects are perfect for read-alouds. Alas, this book just may have the opposite effect of the titular vow; thankfully, a disclaimer is included on the cover. All characters are anthropomorphic animals. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A picture book that takes bedtime drama to a whole new level. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.