Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Smarties Prize for Children's Books, Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? is a luscious-as-chocolate tale that should find a place on every pre-school bookshelf. While Big Bear tries to read his Bear Book, Little Bear tries to sleep, but can't. He's scared of the dark. So Big Bear keeps bringing him progressively bigger lanterns. But nothing seems to work, until he leads Little Bear out of the Bear Cave into the dark nights.

NB. There is some debate as to whether Little Bear was really trying very hard to get to sleep. Some of the illustrations seem to show him bouncing around rather a lot. You decide. (Ages 2-5) --Lisa Gee

A big book edition is also available.

In this comforting story about a big bear trying to help a little bear overcome his fear of the dark, both the affectionate humor and the beguiling variations on a repetitive theme are reminiscent of Minarik's classic Little Bear (1957); but this British team gives a fresh flavor to the old formula. For one thing, these bears live in a cave, comfortably furnished but just the site for lurking shadows. Big Bear (who looks like an informally updated version of one of L. Leslie Brooke's amiable Three Bears) is trying to read, but willingly fetches first one and then another and another ever-larger lantern to dispel the dark that troubles the restless little bear; finally, they go into the real dark outside to admire the full moon and Little Bear drifts off to sleep, safe at last in Big Bear's encompassing arms. Waddell's charming narration has the grace and economy of old nursery tales. Using frames of mellow slate blue, Firth sets her pencil and watercolor illustrations beneath gentle arches that suggest the cave's interior, comfortably accommodating the text among vignettes and larger spreads. As in Brooke's illustrations, there are delightful domestic details to explore, But the bears are best of all. Perfect for bedtime, or anytime. (Kirkus Reviews)

【作傢簡介】

馬丁·韋德爾 Martin Waddell（愛爾蘭）

1941年齣生於北愛爾蘭的貝爾費斯特，是愛爾蘭知名作傢，作品曾多次獲得英國史馬提斯奬(The Smarties Book Prize)、凱特格林威大奬(The Kate Greenaway Medal)、鵝媽媽大奬等國際知名奬項。作品包括：《小貓頭鷹》(Owl Babies)、《月光》，以及與以靈活的綫條及巧妙的布局取勝的繪者芭芭拉·弗斯(Barbara Firth)閤作的係列圖畫書：《你睡不著嗎？》(Can't you sleep, little bear?)、《做得好，小小熊》(Good job, little bear)、《我們迴傢吧》Let's go home, little bear；和海倫·奧剋森伯瑞(Helen Oxenbury)閤作的《可憐的鴨子》(Farmer duck)等。

他取材多半來自小孩日常生活中一個觀點或一份心情，而不是戲劇化的衝突事件。他擅長以鮮活的文字經營悠閑的故事鏇律，提醒讀者：稀鬆平常的生活片段，正是一點一滴慢慢醞釀親子的親密和關懷。

【畫傢簡介】

芭芭拉·弗斯 Barbara Firth（愛爾蘭）

Barbara Firth 說她一直很幸運，因為她的興趣和工作都是繪畫。在她三歲時她就開始畫動物、植物。十一歲時，全傢搬遷到鄉下，更使她有機會接觸到花花草草。

後來她進入London College of Fashion.學習pattern cutting。畢業後曾在英國著名百貨公司 Marks and Spencer 的設計部門工作，後又轉到名雜誌Vogue上班，負責編織類書的工作。機緣巧遇地她來到瞭英國最知名繪本齣版社Walker Books，在那兒找到瞭她的最愛--- Natural Histroy。她的作品屢獲奬項，和Martin Waddell 閤作的Little Bear係列書更廣受好評。閑暇之餘，她喜歡待在動物園，觀察熊的活動和生活行為，也為她的創作找到最好的詮釋信息。