You Are Getting Sleepy

“Tick-tock, peek at the clock.../ It’s time to sleep, sweet baby.” Caregivers coax an infant to sleep in this effective bedtime board book by Alexander, which maps out a Black family’s bedtime routine. Opening images show two arms reaching down to carry a baby from play with a pile of blocks to a sudsy bath, followed by “diaper, jammies,/ turn down lights” and a story and lullaby. As the text suggests with hypnotic repetition “Soon you’ll get so sleepy” and “YOU are getting sleepy./ Very sleepy,” the child, with smiling eyes and mouth, appears wide awake for a gently humorous effect before yawning soporifically. Visual interest comes from Mikai’s child-centric images, which make good use of patterns, textures, and shadows. When the child is at last laid down in a crib, two parental figures are shown offering final kisses and cuddles to “my sleeping sleepy baby”—a conclusion that emanates love. Ages up to 3. (Sept.)