The Sleepwalkers

Product DescriptionNightmares are turned around with the help of The Sleepwalkers, a dreamlike graphic-novel adventure by Vivane Schwarz.When you are afraid to fall asleep, when all your dreams are nightmares, write us a letter, put it under your pillow, we will rescue you...It is almost time for the old and tired Sleepwalkers to return to the waking world. But before they go, they must conjure and train three new replacements. Who else will look after the Sleepwalking House and be there to answer the call of a child frozen with fear, trapped in a nightmare Faced with a series of cliff-hanging dream predicaments, the three brave new heroes tackle the weird and the wild in this tale about pulling together as a team and having the confidence to stand up to your fears.From School Library JournalGr 4 Up-Three sheep have been rescuing children from their own nightmares for a lifetime. Now that they are on the verge of retirement, they set out to train their replacements, which include a bear in a luchador mask, a charismatic sock monkey, and a crow with a pen for a head. These unlikely superheroes use both their wits and their fists to save the day in the most impossible and creative scenarios. One moment, they're saving a girl in a town entirely made of cheese from an army of rats; the next, they're saving an underwear-clad boy giving a speech in front of his classmates. But while they are out battling nightmares, our heroes must deal with their own demons, such as their fear of failure and of death. It's surprisingly deep for such a fantastical journey, but it is so action-packed and fast-paced that it seems as though there is a panel or page missing every once in a while that should have a little backstory. But while the exposition drops the ball, the drawings gracefully pick it back up. Anyone familiar with Schwarz's picture books knows that her artwork favors the surreal. In Sleepwalkers, her avant-garde style fits right in and greatly adds to each character and dream. Many of her dreamscapes will easily be some of the best illustrations seen in children's lit all year. With its lovable characters and imaginative settings, Sleepwalkers will be a hit with both young and older readers.-Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.From Booklist*Starred Review* A wise, old fluffy sheep, one of the Sleepwalkers, is part of a small group of animals that floats through dreams in a “safe house,” chasing away children’s nightmares. Unfortunately, it’s time for the old guard to move on. Successors are brought to life from inanimate objects to face off against armies of mice, infinite oceans, tentacles in darkness, and prehistoric planes. Rather than truly scary, these dream environments and enemies are equal parts lyrical and eerie, and, consequently, this British import strikes a unique tone of charming strangeness. The imagery is presented with a warbling line in predominantly tiny panels, also capturing the vague, sometimes claustrophobic sense of a dream. More than a simple (if weird) adventure, Schwarz constructs a fascinating and intricate mythology and even leaves readers with an echo of haunting poignancy. Bonifacius, a big golden bear who is chief among the new recruits, is scared out of his wits most of the time, but he soldiers on to do his duty, presenting both great accessibility and a great example for young readers. Grades 2-5. --Jesse KarpReviewMore than a simple (if weird) adventure, Schwarz constructs a fascinating and intricate mythology, and even leaves readers with an echo of haunting poignance.-Booklist (starred review)Many of [Schwarz's] dreamscapes will easily be some of the best illustrations seen in children’s lit all year. With its lovable characters and imaginative settings, Sleepwalkers will be a hit with both young and older readers.-School Library JournalAbout the Au
Author: Schwarz, Viviane

Publisher: Candlewick

Binding: Paperback

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0763662305

ISBN-13: 9780763662301