Fall 2025

Is It Asleep?

  • Interest Level: Preschool - Grade 1
  • Reading Level: Grade 2

Squirrel and his best friend, Pock the mushroom, sit on the old stump, watching birds fly by. When they’re tired of this, they take the path to the yellow meadow to listen to the blackbird sing. But today, the bird’s not there. The friends look everywhere. Finally they find it on the path, all stretched out and quite still. It must be sleeping. They sit down quietly and wait for the bird to wake.

This true-to-child story of a natural encounter with an animal that has died is both dryly humorous and a profound example of how to manage the comings and goings of life.

Format Your Price Add
979-8-7656-7052-1
$18.99
979-8-7656-7441-3
$23.99
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Interest Level Preschool - Grade 1
Reading Level Grade 2
Genre Picture Books
Copyright 2025
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Gecko Press ™
Language English
Number of Pages 32
Publication Date 2025-08-05
Text Type Fiction
BISACS JUV039030, JUV039050, JUV002000
Dewey [E]
Dimensions 7.9 x 11
Features Original artwork, Reviewed, Teaching Guides, and eSource

Author, Illustrator: Olivier Tallec

Olivier Tallec was born in Brittany, France. After graduating from the École Supérieure dares Appliqués Duperré in Paris, he traveled extensively and now lives and works in Paris. He has illustrated more than sixty books for children.

Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!

Is It Asleep?

Squirrel and his best friend, Pock the mushroom, sit on the old stump, watching birds fly by. When they’re tired of this, they take the path to the yellow meadow to listen to the blackbird sing. But today, the bird’s not there. The friends look everywhere. Finally they find it on the… View available downloads →

Reviews

Shelf Awareness

“Inevitable reality finds a soft, welcoming cushion here. Prolific French author/artist Olivier Tallec, gently, comfortingly, kindly tackles the difficult reality of death. . .”—Shelf Awareness

Kirkus Reviews

“A laudably candid yet child-friendly examination of life and death.”—Kirkus Reviews

Foreword Reviews

“Simple, to-the-point language brings the abstract topics of death, grieving, and carrying on into focus for children in this comforting picture book.”—Foreword Reviews