Little Lek Longtail Learns to Sleep

by Bette Killion, Beatriz Vidal (Illustrator)

Overview

“I can’t sleep, mommy, I’m scared.” Human moms and dads have heard it many times before, and so too, it turns out, has Little Lek’s mother. Her little Thai Argus pheasant was so gentle, kind, and handsome with his exceptionally long and brightly colored tail. But he had just one problem: he couldn’t get to sleep. Then one day something changed, and Little Lek discovered a strength that lay hidden within, something that gave him the peace of mind to sleep soundly through the night. Find out the secret of how Little Lek learned to trust in himself! Readers will delight in Beatriz Vidal’s vivid and expressive art. An appendix of fascinating facts about the Thai Argus pheasant makes this book an educational experience as well.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781937786632
Publisher:	World Wisdom
Publication date:	12/01/2016
Pages:	28
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 16.70(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Bette Killion is a writer of poems, stories, and articles for children, with over 800 published in well-known juvenile magazines such as Jack and Jill, Highlights, Ranger Rick, Turtle, and Hopscotch. Her picture books include The Apartment House Tree, Think of It, The Same Wind, and most recently Princess Rosie’s Rainbows. She is also known for her rewriting of classic fairy tales such as Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. In addition to having built a successful writing career, Bette has also worked as a children’s librarian and as a substitute teacher. She has nine grandchildren and lives in Greencastle, Indiana.

Beatriz Vidal is an award-winning Argentinean painter, illustrator, and teacher. Her work has appeared in well-known magazines such as The New York Times, Woman’s Day, and The New Yorker. Beatriz won the prestigious Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award for her title A Library for Juana. Her most recent title is Pine and the Winter Sparrow (written by Alexis York Lumbard). Beatriz’s artwork has featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including The International Exhibition of Illustration for Children in Sarmede, Italy, and The Society of Illustrators in New York. She divides her time between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and New York City, New York.

Editorial Reviews

Aug. 30, 2016
Combining elements of the traditional folk tale and an Aesop’s fable, Killion offers a moral tale about how the now-threatened argus pheasant learned to sleep through the night.In a jungle in Thailand, an argus pheasant is born with an unusually long and brightly colored tail and is named Little Lek Longtail by his “proud mother.” As he grows, his tail also grows: “longer, brighter, and more beautiful.” Despite his beauty, Lek is kind and thoughtful, a friend to all the other birds in the forest. However, he is afraid of nighttime predators—so afraid he cannot fall asleep. Even his mother cannot comfort him. One day, Lek sees a man and his son outsmart a bask of crocodiles to safely cross a river. In amazement he concludes, “There is always a way if one just thinks of it.” Lek begins to observe other creatures using their attributes and talents to help themselves and realizes he can use his long, extravagant tale as an alarm of sorts. In contrast to Killion’s dry and contrived text, Vidal’s vivid and vibrant art shines. She deliberately omits white space, packing a profusion of color, details, and textures across the pages to re-create the dense, diverse jungles of Southeast Asia. The appendix provides interesting argus pheasant facts. While Killion’s efforts to highlight a little-known creature and teach a moral lesson are commendable, the preachy tone may turn off kids and adults alike. (Picture book. 4-9)

Kirkus Review