Separation Anxiety Is a Struggle

Before We Sleep
Written by Giorgio Volpe & Illustrated by Paolo Proietti
Age Level: 2-6 Years
Published September 7, 2021

Wishing I could hibernate.

“As the season turned, the forest was
dressed in new colors of rich amber,
burned orange, and chestnut brown.”

The poetry of those opening lines mesmerize me, and the magic of this book’s lyrical prose and delicate illustrations holds all throughout this exquisite story.

In this tender tale, Little Red the fox tries to enjoy autumn with his best friend Hazel the dormouse, but his joy is dampened by the knowledge that once winter comes Hazel must hibernate. For Little Red, the cold, dark days of winter are unbearably lonely. Like every parent that has had to coax an anxious child to let them go, Hazel gently reminds Little Red that he must sleep, and offers heartfelt promises and reassurances that when spring comes, he will return and they will play again.

Translated from its original Italian and only recently published in the US, this book has the feel of a classic. It is children’s literature at its finest, with elevated writing and fairy tale-like illustrations. Hazel’s teapot-shaped house is reminiscent of a Maileg play set with muted colors, cozy textiles, and spare furnishings. Beautifully drawn teacups with clouds of steam and chimneys with a whisper of smoke tease your senses and pull you into each scene. Rarely does a storybook leave me feeling so completely satisfied, making me just as eager to flip back to page one as my equally starry-eyed little ones.