Ten Bears in a Bed

Richardson turns the classic children's counting song about bears in a bed (and the little one said, / 'Roll over, roll over!' ) into beautiful bedlam with this high-spirited pop-up book. Inventive paper engineering lends variety to the ways in which 10 sleepless teddy bears each tumble out of bed, while Richardson's frequent shifts in perspective transform the bedroom into a three-ring circus. Off to the sides of his cheerfully colored pictures, several bears joyride in a toy car; a cat, three mice and a tiny alligator chase one another in heated pursuit; the docile elephants next door, bathed and ready for bed, are bothered by the ruckus until they decide to join the party; the hands of a clock record the advancing hour; and an aquarium teeters precariously. Adults beware: children may want this cyclical story to go on forever. Ages 18 mos.-5 yrs. (Sept.)