NO ONE SLEPT

In this Brazilian import, a child soothes her relatives with the power of stories.

Little Kooky lives in a house with her large extended family. At night, the whole household is restless; everyone is too afraid to sleep because of the ghost who haunts their home. But Little Kooky, unwilling “to let fear ruin her day,” grabs a good book. Traveling from room to room, she reads to her various family members to help them fall asleep—even the neighbor’s dog is lulled. The tale ends with the child finally going to bed: “With no fear to be found / with her book on her chest, / She climbed into her mom’s bed / And let her body rest.” Black-and-white images reminiscent of Edward Gorey’s work and spare, occasionally rhyming text translated from Portuguese set a ghostly yet somehow reassuring tone from the very start. Illustrations full of intricate details and textures rely on thin lines and crosshatching. An offbeat sense of humor occasionally peeks through: One of Little Kooky’s relatives reclines in an upturned-chair; the baby of the house sleeps in a crib with a mobile featuring bizarre-looking creatures. Readers will be intrigued by this simple story that offers a radical departure from typical picture-book art. Characters have skin the white of the page.

A quiet celebration of reading and family that’s equal parts charming and gently spooky.