Goodnight, crayons

Even crayons have to sleep. Yellow stretches scribbly arms wide and yawns a big yawn. Time for bed! But all of Daywalt's beloved Crayons have different bedtime routines. Blue sips a glass of water through a long straw, promising, "I'll go to bed as soon as I drink it all." Beige drags a stuffed piece of wheat (named Wheaty-Wheat) on the floor as he goes to his room; he can't sleep without his lovey. And Red? Red needs a story. Quite a few stories, in fact. With covers drawn up (in red), Red snuggles up while Green chooses some of Daywalt and Jeffers' classics to read. The tale takes a metafictive turn when Green falls asleep and Red starts reading the very book they are in. The jokes aren't as hilarious as in previous outings--the vibes here are reassuring and gentle--but loyal readers of the series will happily recognize familiar personality traits. Peach is excited to be wearing bear pajamas, exclaiming, "I'm so comfy-cozy I could freeeeeak ooout! But I won't…" And Yellow and Orange wrap themselves with a "Halloween bankie." Peppered with insider gags for fans but centered on a familiar childhood experience, this story could easily introduce newcomers to the series. A soothingly sweet smattering of bedtime rituals with old friends.(Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.