Llama knows what to take to Gram and Grandpa's for his first sleepover: pajamas, clothes, and his stuffed-animal companion Fuzzy. Later, when unpacking at their house, Llama realizes that he left Fuzzy behind. Stricken but bravely saying nothing, he has fun with Gram and Grandpa that day. While his thoughts keep returning to Fuzzy, it's bedtime before he breaks down and tells his grandparents what's troubling him. Fortunately, his grandpa knows just what to do. Like other picture books in the popular Llama Llama series, this brightly illustrated story reflects the experiences and emotions of young children within the comforting context of a story with a happy ending. The rhythmic, rhyming text is concise and well worded. Created with oil paints, colored pencils, and oil pastels, the pictures deliver much of the emotional content while showing Llama engaged in activities familiar to preschoolers. An engaging choice for reading aloud.

The latest in this popular series finds the young llama having his first sleepover with resourceful, sensitive Gram and Grandpa. The color-soaked, canvas-textured oil paint, colored pencil, and oil pastel illustrations capture Llama Llama's changing emotions as he packs, travels, and stays overnight, despite his forgotten stuffed animal. Short, rhymed, singsongy sentences move the predictable story about negotiating new experiences along.

PreS Dewdney tackles the topic of staying at Gram and Grandpa's overnight. Llama is excited for his special visit as he packs up his clothes and his stuffed animal, Fuzzy Llama. However, when he unpacks, he realizes, rather upsettingly, that his comfort object was left behind. Gram and Grandpa spend the day distracting little Llama by playing outside or building in the workshop, but with each activity, he anxiously remembers Fuzzy Llama's absence. While the text carries along with a seemingly pleasing nighttime routine ("Take a bath./Then comb and brush./Settle in for stories. Hush./Finish books/and get a kiss"), the illustrations show Llama looking more distressed and anxious before bed. After Gram asks what's the matter, we watch as "Llama's lips begin to quiver./Llama starts to shake and shiver./Llama needs his Fuzzy near,/but FUZZY LLAMA ISN'T HERE!" The following page shows all three Llamas looking at readers for help. Quickly, it's Grandpa who finds a solution. Grandpa offers a special toy from when he was just a little boy. In a satisfying ending, Llama realizes he's not alone and that he's in his "home away from home." With a carefully crafted rhyming text and comforting painted images that match genuinely the emotion of a toddler's first night away from home, this book is a charming success. VERDICT Parents and caregivers will appreciate the reassuring message that this story offers for one-on-one sharing, and it will function as a heartwarming read-aloud in a bedtime-themed storytime. Brianne Colombo, Pequannock Township Public Library, NJ