“Inside, families get ready for bed, but outside, the city is bustling. . . . Sirens blare, cars honk, and crowds chatter and laugh. The clamor isn’t going to quiet anytime soon. But each sound melts into a familiar rhythm, lulling city-dwellers as they close their eyes. Rigaud and Duchess pop in and out of many cities—Baltimore, Brooklyn, Chicago, and more—as they peer into various bedroom scenes. . . . Regardless of the nighttime routines, one thing remains constant: All these children feel safe and loved. . . . Onomatopoetic sounds abound. . . . Dim lights, comfy blankets, and warm squeezes of stuffed animals contrast with the buzz of outdoor conversations, joyous street corner singing, and barking pups on their nighttime walk. . . . The urban landscape and indoor coziness end up melding together. . . . A sweet melody of urban life.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A clever inversion of the hushabye-style wind-down book, this joyfully cacophonous lullaby from Rigaud and Duchess insists that a city’s clatter isn’t something to sleep despite, but something to sleep to. Rhyming lines fold the racket into familiar bedtime rituals, name-checking cities across the U.S. In these pages, there’s no expectation that the world outside will quiet down. . . . Painterly interior night scenes glow amber against deep blues, and family members, portrayed with various abilities and skin tones, alternate in household makeup and sleeping arrangement. It’s a bedtime book that never asks night owls to be something they aren’t.” —Publishers Weekly
