Can't Sleep Without Sheep

Written by Susanna Leonard Hill · Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

Ava's sheep quit, leaving chaos as new animals try to help her sleep.

5.6/7 Bookroo experts·4.1/5 Goodreads · 348 ratings

40 pages· 408 words· Est. 4 min read-aloud· ~280L

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

Ava's sleepless nights lead to an unexpected dilemma when her counting sheep quit from exhaustion. As the sheep search for a replacement, a parade of animals, from chickens to hippos, attempt to jump over Ava's fence. Will Ava find the perfect substitute to lull her to sleep, or will the chaos continue? Discover the whimsical journey of finding the right bedtime companion in this charming tale.

"Ava had a hard time falling asleep."

— from the book

From the publisher

Whenever Ava can’t sleep, she counts sheep. But Ava takes so long to fall asleep, it’s the sheep that are growing tired-until finally, they quit! When the sheep promise to find a replacement that Ava can count on, chaos ensues as chickens, cows, pigs, hippos, and more try their hand at jumping over Ava’s fence. Finding the perfectly peaceful replacement for sheep might not be so easy after all.

With irresistibly adorable art, this delightful take on a familiar sleep tactic is sure to become a bedtime favorite.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Words: 408
Reading age: 3–6
Audience: Picture
Lexile: ~280L

Themes & topics

Books about animals Books about bedtime Books about sleep Books about counting and numbers Books about diversity

After the last page

Talk about it together

Do you ever have trouble falling asleep? What do you do to help yourself fall asleep? What else could Ava have counted to help her fall asleep?

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.6

out of 7

5.5

“After you read this adorable bedtime book, you definitely will not take counting sheep for granted! Super cute premise, adorable illustrations and a great lesson to be appreciative of those helping you, be they real or imaginary. This book also gets points from me for having a diverse main character .”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

5.3

“Thank you to all the sheep who let us count them as we fall asleep! I thought this book was very fun and a great, light-hearted bedtime book. Plus there's a great message of being thankful and telling others you appreciate them. :)”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

“Can't Sleep Without Sheep will quickly become a bedtime favorite and a can't-sleep-without book.”

School Library Journal

Critic

“. . .a gently humorous book that families will undoubtedly come to count on as well.”

Kirkus

Critic

The author