Sleep, Merel, Sleep by Silke Stein

Book Title: Sleep, Merel, Sleep
Author: Silke Stein
Genre: Middle-Grade
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: A review copy provided by the author

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Plot Summary: Life has changed for eight-year-old Merel. Since the birth of her sick baby brother, her parents seem to have forgotten she exists. But when she finds a tiny silver violin in her bedroom rug, things take a turn for the worse.
Merel learns that her sleep has abandoned her and that she must embark on a perilous journey to recover it or stay awake forever. Together with her devoted toy sheep Roger, tired Merel sets out in search of Lullaby Grove. Before long, she finds herself haunted by a scary stranger.
Follow Merel into a surreal world. Meet a sleepy king with an obsession for feathers and a transparent old man on a night train going nowhere. Discover why the moonfish cry, why you should never walk across the Great Yawns ― and if poor Merel can escape her pursuer, win back her sleep, and realize what matters most in her life.

What did I think?

I would like to thank the author, Silke Stein, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read many middle-grade books, not because I don't like them, but simply because it's not my preferred genre. However, I highly enjoyed reading Sleep, Merel, Sleep. It's a magical story, beautifully told by the author. The world building is fascinating, the descriptions vivid, and I immediately fell in love with the premise.

The author incorporates important topics in a way children will understand, like having a sick sibling. Merel is a very brave girl, and the world she encounters is one filled with a vast imagination. The writing has an almost dream-like quality and fits the story perfectly.

Sleep, Merel, Sleep is a book I'd recommend to anyone who loves middle-grade books. It's an ideal book for young children, especially those trying to adjust to a new sibling. It contains a perilous adventure, just dark enough to be exciting with a few scary moments splattered throughout, and I think parents will enjoy reading this one with their children simply because of how beautifully written it is.

Silke Stein’s website can be found here.