Tucked into bed but sleepless, a preschool insomniac counts sheep, or ovejas, in this bilingual bedtime story. As the child counts up to 10, each group of sheep appears in a different color: Cuatro ovejas rosas. Four pink sheep. / ¡Adiós, ovejas rosas! Good-bye, pink sheep. The very simple, rhythmic narrative sets a comfortably dozy pace, with pronunciation guides for the Spanish text. Diaz's acrylic-and-pencil illustrations portray a wide-eyed child ushering the woolly sheep out of the bedroom, using a variety of methods. The counting concept is clear and easy to follow, and the large figures will show easily for large groups. An attractive sleepytime offering for fluent and new Spanish speakers alike.

Oxenbury, who received the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1999 for her illustrations for Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, has now illustrated the companion volume. Her thoroughly modern Alice, once again dressed in jumper, tights, and tennis shoes, skips her way through encounters with Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the White Queen, and Humpty Dumpty.

As comfortable and cozy as the fuzzy pink bunny slippers worn by its peaceful, amply-robed night-capped child, this bilingual bed-time sheep-counting story is an auditory and visual delight. Gorgeously colored sheep with curly wool and black faces and ears leap or are led, pushed, or trundled across blue, green, pink and purple clouds after the parents say good-night: "Buenas noches. / Good night. (bweh-nahs no-chehs)." The Spanish pronunciation is printed in smaller type immediately below the words. The water faucet drips, and the clock ticks. "Shhhhhhhh!" and then the parade of ovejas begins: " Una oveja Blanca. / One white sheep." " Adios, oveja Blanca! Good-bye, white sheep!" The text is repetitious, as a bed-time counting chant should be, varying only in numbers and colors of the sheep. The expressions on the faces of the sheep and the child, the stunning juxtaposition of shapes and colors, the ingeniously varied ways in which the sheep are transported and the potential for teaching colors and numbers in both English and Spanish make this a winner. (Picture book. 2-6)

PreS-K A boy says good night to his parents and then tries to get some shut-eye, but the nocturnal noises of the house keep him awake. So, he turns to counting sheep. First comes a single white sheep, followed by two brown ones, then three blacks ones, etc. Each succeeding grouping of rambunctious, rainbow-colored lambs must be herded out (e.g., ¡Adiós, ovejas violetas!/Good-bye, violet sheep!), and the youngster must come up with ever-more-resourceful ways of getting the animals out of his room. Diazs acrylic-and-pencil illustrations are sublime, employing a dreamy palette of colors. The bilingual text is simple, accurate, and engaging. Plenty of repetition makes this an ideal selection for early learners.