The Midnight Babies by sales-abramsbooks

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A B R A M S B O O K S F O R YO U N G R E A D E R S N E W YO R K

For Frieda, and all the other Midnight Babies —I.G.

The illustrations for this book were made with Palomino Blackwing pencils and charcoal and colored digitally. Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress. ISBN 978-1-4197-5954-3 Text and illustrations © 2023 Isabel Greenberg Book design by Jade Rector and Becky James Published in 2023 Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS. This is by anAbrams advance, uncorrected proof. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, Not fororresale, duplication, or photocopying, or transmitted in any form by any means, mechanical, electronic, recording, or otherwise, withoutdo written permission from the publisher. reposting. Please not quote without

comparison book. Printedto andthe boundfinished in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Abrams Books for Young Readers are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below. Abrams® is a registered trademark of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

The clock strikes midnight.

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But somebody is NOT ASLEEP.

Oh, hello.

The babies have come from far and wide, crawling and walking and toddling and tumbling.

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These are the can’t-sleep babies, the won’t-sleep babies, the itchy-feet babies, the just-one-more-story-please babies.

These are the Midnight Babies.

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The babies dance and greet each other with joy. And Wide-Awake Baby takes her place at the front, for tonight she will lead the parade!

Hello babies! Are you ready?

Tonight, we will stay up ALL NIGHT! We will travel to the shores of Nodoff, we will battle the forces of Sleep, and we will NOT go to bed!

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book. Yes, yes, YES!

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book. They have brought their tambourines and xylophones, their drums and wooden spoons and saucepans. And OH, what joyful noise they make when they bang them all together!

“Sleep! Sleep! Anywhere but Sleep!!!” sing the babies, as they clatter and bash.

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And the quest of the Midnight Babies begins!

Through the Forest of Nightlights they go, where mushrooms glow and the trees are hung with lanterns of every color.

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One of the babies stops to look, but Wide-Awake Baby bangs her drum. “You are not sleepy!” she shouts. The other babies hear her cry, and they clatter their noisemakers harder than ever. But still the little baby cannot resist the golden light. He curls up in a soft pile of leaves, closes his eyes, and smiles.

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But the babies march on! Next they arrive at the Sea of Stories.

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“Stay and listen,” whisper the seabooks and the storyfish.

You know you want to.

The water is warm and bubbly, and the windows of the coral house are bright and welcoming.

Where are we going again? Maybe I’ll stop here awhile, just for one story.

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Cover your ears! But there are still plenty of babies to carry on the quest! Into the Garden of Lullabies they go. There, each of the flowers sings a different song, and the wind carries to every baby the tune they love the most.

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They bang their spoons again, and dance and hooray as loudly as they can. But one curious baby takes his hands away, just for a moment, and the lullaby reaches his ears.

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Climb aboard, babies—we must cross the Rockabye River!

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Beware this river. Many babies will not reach the other side, for the lure of its steady roll can make even the most alert drift off downstream to Sleep.

The babies have arrived at the shores of Nodoff, and some of them are very tired now. But Wide-Awake is the very best in the business of staying awake. She has been here many times before.

We shall not go to Sleep tonight, or any other night!

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As the Army of Teddies approaches, the babies hold aloft their blankies, wave their rattles, beat their fists upon their chests, open their mouths . . .

. . . and scream!

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And the forces of Sleep fall back!

But then . . . the lights go out. The shores of Nodoff are plunged into a lovely, heavy dark, a soft deep blanket of night to wrap each baby up.

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But Wide-Awake has faced this before, and she knows what to do.

Do not give up, my babies, we must not sleep! You know what to do!

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But the babies are losing. The forces of Sleep send in the stuffies and snugglies and bunnies.

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh,” they say, opening their velvety arms.

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And the last of the babies snuggle in, close their eyes, and finally sleep.

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Wide-Awake is all alone. She stands on the shores of Nodoff, looking at Sleep before her.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not forEverything resale, duplication, or so comfortable. looks so soft, and reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book. And she is, really, very tired.

Her eyes begin to close.

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No. Never!

Must . . . stay . . . awake . . . ALL NIGHT.

But wouldn’t it be nice, oh so nice, to go to Sleep?

“Sleepy time, little baby. Aren’t you tired?”

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Even this last, Wide-Awake Baby cannot resist . . .

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Oh, it is so good. Oh, it is so warm. Give in. Go . . . to . . . Sleep . . .

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“WELCOME, we’ve been waiting for you!” And here are all the Midnight Babies!

The Midnight Babies play all night in the land of Sleep.

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There are bananas and warm milk, cuddlies and caterpillars, drums and birds, vanilla clouds and raspberry skies, ice cream and scooters, Ferris wheels and merry-go-rounds, and lots and lots of cake.

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Not one of them can remember why they tried so very hard not to come here.

And as the sky turns pink with dawn, the babies curl up again in their boats, and the Rockabye River takes them back to . . .

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HANG ON. Has this baby been tricked? Did this baby sleep?

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Is this baby WELL RESTED?

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Well, this baby, this Wide-Awake Baby, would rather go ANYWHERE than Sleep. And tonight?

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The Midnight Babies will march again!

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