Zoo Dreams

Hazelaar (Dogs Everywhere) studied New York City zoos for this cozy, informative portrait of an urban menagerie. At closing time, keepers check on their charges, all of which have different sleeping preferences. The polar bear ""curls up like a big cat,"" for instance, while the dozing toucans perch on branches and the giraffes remain standing. It's lights out for everyone but the bats; a two-part spread shows bats flapping in a dark enclosure, then resting upside-down from a ceiling after the keeper turns on the lights (which, the text explains, tricks the nocturnal creatures into sleeping at night). Hazelaar's delicate illustrations, with their overtones of pale gray and warm brown, convey a sense of quietude while retaining enough sophistication to intrigue the eye. Even the yellow and blue tropical fish, sleeping with their eyes open, glide in a shadowy, teal-green dusk. This tranquil, meditative book could serve as a low-key bedtime read, perhaps on a night preceding or following a real zoo visit. Ages 3-6. (Apr.)