The King of Sleep

Caroline M. Hallsworth is a librarian at Cambrian College in Sudbury.

The King of Sleep—translated from the French-Canadian original, Roi du
sommeil—is a futuristic fantasy featuring King Roger 37, so named for
his ability to sleep for 37 consecutive days without wakening. For 37
days, Roger is kept awake by a roaring sheep with whom Roger ultimately
trades his crown for the right to sleep again. This time, Roger wakes
voluntarily in order to partake of a picnic with the children of the
galaxy.

The story is told with such stark simplicity that at times it almost
seems to be missing a link, and King Roger 37’s dilemma is resolved
almost too neatly. Tibo’s characters are rather bizarre, from the grey
and sometimes costumed king to the pink sheep with the yellow stars. The
entire book has a dreamlike quality about it, which is perhaps what one
should expect from a work entitled The King of Sleep.