Details
Synopsis
After his grandmother has tucked his stuffed animals into bed one by one, a young boy is ready to go to sleep himself.
| Size | | Height: | 8.0 in | | Width: | 9.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.2 in | | Weight: | 9.6 oz |
Industry Reviews
This clever bedtime tale is sleep-inducing without being soporific, and offers adults a playful strategy for dealing with obstinate sleepyheads. When a grandmother announces, "Bedtime!", her grandson says, "No." However, as the evening draws on (marked by the changing minute hand on the clock face), the boy reports, one by one, that his three stuffed companions may be growing sleepy. The grandma tucks each one into the boy's bed with a goodnight kiss, then begins to read them a bedtime story "with no one sitting on her lap." The little boy climbs aboard to snuggle and hear the story's conclusion, and soon willingly joins his furry friends in bed. Writing in spare, soothing tones spiced with a sly sense of humor, Blos (A Gathering of Days) skillfully evokes a grandmother who knows little boys all too well, and appeals to a child's sense of play. She employs just the right amount of repetition to keep her young audience rapt to the last page. The calming, methodical rhythm of the text is mirrored in Lambert's (When I Was Like You) full-bleed, single-page pastels. His dense, geometric style echoes the boy's blocks and toys, and his warm hunter greens, burgundies and midnight blues emit shades of dusk. Although adults may have the most fun following Lambert's subtle gibe about the narrative's brief passage of time (the clock shows the story beginning at 7:00 p.m., and ending at 7:45), anyone with a curfew will find this book an all-around good time. Ages 1-3. (May)
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PreS A young boy attempts to forestall the inevitable in this familiar story. When his grandma announces, "Bedtime," the strong-willed youngster is too busy playing to comply. The woman counters by tucking a stuffed bear under the covers and kissing him goodnight. Soon the child admits that Tiger is also tired. A clown joins the others and the grandmother reads to her inanimate audience. At this point the little boy is ready to crawl into his grandma's comforting lap to share the story. He finally acquiesces to putting on his pajamas and climbing into bed. A clock face featured throughout indicates that 45 minutes have elapsed during the evening ritual. The illustrations are rendered in chalk pastels and the fuzzy, softened edges lend a warm aura to the story. Both the art and text are soothing. A good choice for collections needing more bedtime stories for very young children. Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
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