No One Slept

In this Brazilian import, a child soothes her relatives with the power of stories. Little Kooky lives in a house with her large extended family. At night, the whole household is restless; everyone is too afraid to sleep because of the ghost who haunts their home. But Little Kooky, unwilling "to let fear ruin her day," grabs a good book. Traveling from room to room, she reads to her various family members to help them fall asleep--even the neighbor's dog is lulled. The tale ends with the child finally going to bed: "With no fear to be found / with her book on her chest, / She climbed into her mom's bed / And let her body rest." Black-and-white images reminiscent of Edward Gorey's work and spare, occasionally rhyming text translated from Portuguese set a ghostly yet somehow reassuring tone from the very start. Illustrations full of intricate details and textures rely on thin lines and crosshatching. An offbeat sense of humor occasionally peeks through: One of Little Kooky's relatives reclines in an upturned-chair; the baby of the house sleeps in a crib with a mobile featuring bizarre-looking creatures. Readers will be intrigued by this simple story that offers a radical departure from typical picture-book art. Characters have skin the white of the page. A quiet celebration of reading and family that's equal parts charming and gently spooky.(Picture book. 3-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.