I Can’t Sleep written by Stephanie Blake is a sweet story about Simon and his little brother.
Simon’s little brother can’t sleep without his special blanket. Simon has to find his brave to solve the problem, and help his little brother out.
What I’m Liking
I love how this book highlights sibling camaraderie. Simon is the big brother every little brother looks up to. And when his little brother really needs him Simon goes out of this way to help.
I just love the way Blake shows the relationship between big brother and little brother unfold. It’s such a truthful demonstration of how a big brother leads and how a little brother wants to follow and copy.
Blake has a fantastic way of using language that children can easily relate to. She uses descriptive language without making it too complicated. And one of my favourite pages is when Simon first goes outside in the night to find the blanket:
The first thing Simon noticed was the cold.
And the ground was a little damp.
so he ran a little faster.
Pitter-pat, pitter-pat
went his steps in the night.
Not only is the language so illustrative, but the illustrations tell so much of the story. They are bold, bright, big and fun. The expressions on 
the character’s faces are easy for kids to relate to. And the fact that Simon wears a super-hero mask and cape just adds to the fun nature of this story.
Conclusion
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this story with my kids. It’s one of those books you can read over and over again, and it doesn’t get boring.
It would also make a great book to read at playgroups because of the big, bold font and lively pictures. Plus, it would be a great book to use in schools when highlighting different types of language.
I Can’t Sleep – Written by Stephaine Blake – Published by Gecko Press – RRP$29.99
