Shush & Hush! Tiptoe Joe by Ginger Foglesong Gibson

TIPTOE FAST, TIPTOE SLOW.

SAY HELLO TO TIPTOE JOE.

When Joe tiptoes by, swiftly and stealthily, his friends are instantly curious.

Donkey CLOP CLOPS after him until Joe shushes him and tells him to tiptoe, too.

Turkey trots noisily, FLAP FLAPPING along behind Joe until he gets the message that silence is required. Owl swishes her soft wings, Moose thuds his big hooves, and Beaver starts slapping his tail in excitement. Tiptoe Joe, with his finger to his mouth,just whispers

"QUIET, PLEASE."

With his followers tiptoeing and mostly mum, Joe makes his way to his cave, and his retinue finally gets to see what all the shushing is about--two brand-new bear cubs  in Mama Bear's lap--fast asleep.

Ginger Gibson's red-sneakered Tiptoe Joe (Greenwillow, 2013)  moves along merrily, if quietly, thanks to her catchy couplets and the rhythmic refrain from his curious retinue as the animals tiptoe behind to see his big surprise in Laura Rankin's bright Disneyesque  drawings.  This one is a good bedtime story for siblings in  households in which the baby is already sleeping and shushes and tiptoes are required.