Alda's (Arlene Alda's ABC
) paper-over-board collection of color photographs surveys the animal kingdom (plus a few humans) and finds a common bond: snoozing. A single line of text per page serves as a kind of caption to echo each picture's content. "All creatures sleep," Alda begins, showing a zonked out pig, his pink ear serving as a nightshade. "Some stand up..." (a curlicued flamingo balances on one leg), "others s-t-r-e-t-c-h out" (a billy goat basks in the sun). The animal pictures—which also include a group of the always crowd-pleasing meerkats—are certain to elicit "Ahhhs" from youngsters, while the human kids caught in repose, such as one girl who uses her father's head for a pillow while being carried piggyback, should strike a chord of recognition. The photography does not attempt to achieve fine art; the snapshot aesthetic (reinforced by the fact that many of the animal pictures were taken at a zoo) serves the book's modest intent well, and anyone in the position of persuading a reluctant child to hit the hay may find this a useful tool. The book's real appeal lies in its mild titillation factor: spying on another creature in a moment of private oblivion. Ages 2-5. (Mar.)
