Silent Nights for Yo

Asher, mother of three, addresses the matter of young children who have troublesome sleeping habits with the wisdom of one who's been there and the slapstick humor of one who's survived. Recognizing that, for parents, sleep deprivation can be ""the most insidious form of torture,'' she offers sound advice from the experts on feeding, medication and development as well as more conventional remedieswhether it's a fancy battery-operated cradle, a bear that plays music, a drive to town and back or brewing simple herbal delights, whatever will put baby to sleep. Her bottom line is do whatever works and to use one's imagination. Asher's parent-to-exasperated-parent approach and her emphasis on coping are a refreshing change from the experts' usually dry volumes. (May)