The World Champion of Staying Awake by Sean Taylor, illustrated by Jimmy Liao Ages 3-5 32 pages Candlewick June 2011 Hardcover     Stella should be in bed sleeping, but her stuffed animals are keeping her awake. Cherry Pig, Beanbag Frog, and Thunderbolt Mouse are trying to prove they are the world champion of staying awake. One by one though, each animal is tucked into bed after Stella uses three items in her bedroom to help them fall asleep. As she gets the animals to close their eyes, they imagine themselves into dreams of ocean voyages, train rides, and hot air balloon trips. Sean Taylor’s (Huck Runs Amuck!) poetic rhymes and humorous dialogue come together to create a pleasing bedtime story. Jimmy Liao’s (The Monster Who Ate Darkness) watercolor illustrations alternate with views of Stella’s bedroom and her toys’ dreams of adventure. Parents can take Stella’s solution to sleeplessness and try imagining a world of dreams with their own children.     web reviews   Tanya Boudreau/2011 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)