Review: Tucked in

I have to admit that Meredith Gaston’s illustrations caught my eye when I first laid eyes on Tucked In – her first solo book that’s filled with lovely illustrations from cover to cover.

Published by Penguin Australia, the book is suitable for all ages – from kids to adults who enjoy the art of bedding down. Now, I had to do a bit of googling as to what is “doona” (the title is Tucked In: For Everyone Having a Doona Day), and it turns out it’s a term you use if you can’t face getting out of bed, or if you need a sick day – and it’s a term mostly used by Aussies (and hardly anywhere else it seems!) That’s where the geographic reference ends though, because the book is all about getting down and comfortable for sleep time, no matter if you’re in Australia or the UK!

The bed was my companion when I wasn’t getting enough sleep (and no amount of tea or counting of sheep helped!) I found myself oogling over the illustrations more than the book itself, if I were to be honest. But the topics covered are quite interesting – there’s topics that cover preparing for bed, picking out a nightwear, preparing a sleep-inducing meal, a dream dictionary, and a lot of interesting facts about bedtime. There’s even poems, lullabies, crafty instructions for knitting your own teacup cozy — it’s all quite a ritual!

I love the book – it’s a very relaxed, whimsical book that would make a great gift for those who are bed-bound, unwell or perhaps even those who are expecting a baby (I’m sure there are some who might need a lot more time in bed – before and after the bundle of joy arrives!) I’m having a tough time trying to find a link to it online, so you might want to bug your local bookstore for a copy, just in case. Here’s the ISBN number: 978-1-921382-38-3.