Snoozapalooza

Ten forest critters hibernate in the same winter den, producing one massive "snoozapalooza." A mouse curls up in a "wee-sized heap" in a cozy winter den, snoring, sleeping, dozing, and dreaming in a "snoozapalooza." He's joined by a snail, and the two snuggle in a "tiny heap," snoring, sleeping, dozing, and dreaming. A mole tunnels into the den, becoming the third creature in the "little heap." A weary chipmunk appears as the fourth snoring, sleeping animal in the "bigger heap." A hedgehog makes it a "growing heap" of five, followed by a rabbit who adds to the "rising heap" of six. A skunk settles into the "mighty heap" of seven. The arrival of a fox creates a "grand-sized heap" of eight, and a badger increases the "giant heap" to nine. Finally, a bear squeezes into the now-"massive heap" of snoring, sleeping, dozing, and dreaming denizens. Their combined, prodigious snoring eventually frightens and bewilders 10 other woodland critters, prompting them to mount a massive wake-up chorus. Relying on repetition--but for the number (rendered as a numeral) and the adjective, many stanzas are identical--and rhyme, the text of this clever counting book gradually builds into a "snoozapalooza" as each new creature joins the snoring heap. Working with simple, readily identifiable shapes, the fancifully colorful, comic illustrations visually reinforce the growth concept, with the increasing size of each creature added to the expanding mass of hilariously intertwined, hibernating bodies. Guaranteed to tickle and delight while reinforcing counting skills. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.