About the Holiday

Established by KidsPeace, a private, not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping children and families since 1882, National Family Month is observed during the five-week period between Mother’s Day in May and Father’s Day in June. It coincides with the usual end of the school year, and raises awareness of the important role mothers and fathers play as a support system for their children. To observe the holiday spend time talking with your kids about topics of importance to them and plan activities  for fun and to help them achieve their goals.

Thank you to Familius for sharing a digital copy of Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby

Written by Tracy C. Gold | Illustrated by Adèle Dafflon

 

It’s getting late and mom and dad can hardly keep their eyes open. Even the dog is dog tired. But the baby? The baby is wide awake and playing with the toys. Maybe a bath with “sleepy water, / sleepy bubbles, / sleepy bathtub” will help. But no, the baby grabs the brush for a “scrub, scrub, scrub.”

The baby’s stuffed animals are ready to rest, and outside the “sleepy moon, / sleepy stars,” and “sleepy night sky” watch over the little creatures in their nests. Yes, “everyone’s sleepy but the baby, / why? why? why?” Mom’s falling asleep in the rocker, and the dog is curled up near the crib, but the baby is drinking a bottle. Everything’s quiet, everything’s still, everyone’s sleeping. Even baby? Ahhh… Shhh….

We’ve all had those nights – maybe even every night for what seems forever – when Baby just won’t go to sleep. But Tracy Gold has a fix for that with her adorable rhyming story that’s as calming as a lullaby. Her gentle cadence and soothing words are relaxing for the littlest will-be-sleepers, and her easy repeated phrases give toddlers a fun way to join in the reading. Weary parents or caregivers will appreciate Gold’s empathetic humor that echoes those nightly questions about their baby’s sleep patterns: When? and Why?

In her vibrant, hilarious illustrations, Adèle Dafflon depicts that nightly struggle for adults to stay awake long enough to get their little one to sleep. While everyone else is flagging – eyes at half-mast or closed – Baby is wide awake and playing, eyes bright and shiny. Little ones will love Dafflon’s images of the baby’s toys, the sweetly smiling moon, stars, and backyard animals, and familiar scenes of home.

A bedtime board book that will be a favorite of both adults and little ones for nightly story times, Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby would make a perfect baby shower or new baby gift and is a must for families, schools, and public libraries.

Ages Baby – 3

Familius, 2021 | ISBN 978-1641704403

You can find more books from Familius that joyfully reflect the habits of happy families, including reading, talking, laughing, eating, working, loving, healing, learning, and playing together as well as the Familius blog The Habit Hub here.

Discover more about Tracy C. Gold and her books on her website.

To learn more about Adèle Dafflon, her books, and her art, visit her website.

National Family Month Activity

Snuggle Buddy Craft

 

It’s easy to make your own snuggle buddy with a few pieces of fleece, some fiber fill, and a needle and thread or fabric glue. The great thing about creating your own friend is you can personalize your pal anyway you want!

Supplies

• 1 8-inch by 11-inch piece of fleece in the color or your choice for the body (or scraps if you have some from an earlier project). A larger piece of fleece can be used to make a larger buddy
• 1 5-inch by 8-inch piece of fleece in the color or your choice for the hair (or scraps if you have some from an earlier project)
• 1 small piece of fleece or other material for a pocket, clothes, or blanket
• Small scraps of fleece or other material for the face
• Fiber Fill
• Thread and sewing needle OR fabric glue
• Scissors

Directions

To Make the Body

1. Fold the large piece of fleece in half lengthwise and sew along the open side and along the bottom. Alternatively, if using a larger size piece of fleece, fold upward and sew the two sides closed.
2. Turn the form inside out
3. Stuff the body with fiber fill

To Make the Hair

1. Cut a piece of fleece as wide as your buddy and about 7 – 8 inches long
2. Fold the fleece lengthwise
3. Insert both ends of the fleece into the opening at the top of the body
4. Sew the opening shut, securing the hair
5. Cut strips about ¼-inch wide from the top of the hair to close to where the hair is sown into the body

To Make a Pocket or Clothes

1. Cut a piece of fleece in the shape of a pocket, shirt, pants, diaper, or blanket
2. Sew the pocket or clothes to the buddy

To Make the Face

1. Cut eyes, a nose, and a mouth in whatever way you would like your buddy to look. 
2. Sew the face to the buddy

To purchase Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby from Familius click here.

 

You can find Everyone’s Sleepy but the Baby at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from 

Bookshop | IndieBound 

Picture Book Review