Tag: bedtime story

Good Night, Good Night (Sandra Boynton)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Good Night, Good Night by Sandra Boynton, the original, longer version of the author/illustrator’s massively popular The Going To Bed Book.

After nearly 40 years in circulation, The Going To Bed Book gets an expansion based on Boynton’s original 1985 version, with redrawn illustrations to accompany the evergreen bedtime tale’s new layout. Fans of the story will enjoy the familiar rhyming text as it follows a motley group of animals at sea as they prepare for bedtime – brushing teeth, taking a bath, putting on jammies, and even working in a spot of exercise to get out that last minute energy. New scenes include cuddling into bed and a performance by two bunnies of a jaunty song about dreams of playing in the mud (including lyrics and musical notation). At last, the animals cut the lights and let the ocean gently rock them to sleep.

For nearly the entire first two years of JJ’s life, her bedtime routine included reading The Going To Bed Book, a perfectly paced and executed book that readers have been enjoying for decades. So naturally, we were excited to read this expanded version, and we weren’t disappointed! Boynton’s illustrations include all the fun and familiar visuals of the original, spaced out and with additional details to spot but otherwise effortlessly merging old with new. The addition of the song changes the story’s rhythm a bit, but JJ enjoyed the silly, simple tune immensely. Both versions are delightful in their own way, and present an opportunity to caregivers who can start with the board book version for very little bookworms, then introduce the expanded version as they grow. Overall, this was a treat – a fresh and fun new version of an undisputed classic. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Rosie the Dragon and Charlie Say Good Night (Lauren H. Kerstein)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Rosie the Dragon and Charlie Say Good Night, written by Lauren H. Kerstein, and illustrated by Nate Wragg, second in the duo’s series featuring the titular pair.

Charlie and his pet dragon Rosie are back, and ready for bedtime. Well, Charlie’s ready; Rosie would like a few extra minutes, please? In fact, mischievous Rosie seems determined to bend or break the rules at every turn of Charlie’s well-organized bedtime routine for her: she tries to sneak juice into her water bottle, overdoes it with the bath bubbles, and picks out footie pajamas for her and her beloved toy horse, Vern (despite Charlie’s attempts to explain that she will overheat… which she does). And just when Charlie thinks Rosie is down for the count, a scary thunderstorm starts up…

Very cute. The delightful dynamic of the particular and rambunctious Rosie, who causes the majority of the bedtime-related snafus, and the ever-patient and caring Charlie is absolutely charming, and paired nicely with the conversational dialogue and colorful, entertaining illustrations. Little readers will sympathize with Charlie’s attempts to usher Rosie through her routine – and in turn, may sympathize with their parents doing the same for them. But perhaps the most unexpectedly heartwarming quality of the book was how much JJ ADORED it; she has asked for several repeat readings, a rarity. Whether intentionally or not, Rosie displays characteristics of someone with ASD; she is nonverbal, requires very specific routines and comfort items, and is distressed by sensory overload (a too-hot set of pjs, a thunderstorm, etc). Yet Charlie treats her proclivities and preferences with patience and kindness, never losing his temper or scolding his scaly friend. It makes for a surprisingly rich and, at least from our perspective, layered tale of caring for friends who may be different needs. Great length, lovely book, and definitely Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by a representative of the author in exchange for an honest review.)

It’s Not A Bed, It’s A Time Machine (Mickey Rapkin)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is It’s Not A Bed, It’s A Time Machine, written by Mickey Rapkin and illustrated by Teresa Martinez, a delightful adventure that encourages little ones to be brave at bedtime.

“Be brave!” says the mom of our hero – a little boy – as she closes the bedroom door. “You’re the Boss of Bedtime!” But bedtime is a scary time, what with the dark corners and foreboding closets. As soon as mom is out of sight, however, his stuffed bunny Floppy has a counter-argument: it’s not a bed, it’s a time machine! Think about it: you fall asleep then wake up hours later – where did the time go?! Intrigued, the boy activates the time machine to travel to the past, all the way to the time of dinosaurs! Colorful beasts of all shapes and sizes roam across the landscape, doing hilariously human things like playing basketball or knitting. The two friends have now switched attitudes; Floppy feels a bit nervous, but the boy is in heaven, and even makes a special pet-like dinosaur friend. When the time comes to leave, he bids Dino-land farewell, and wakes up in his bed, excited to tell his mom about his dream… if it WAS a dream…

Wonderful! A creative concept with a practical lesson, the story both entertains little readers while encouraging them to create bedtime adventures of their own. The art in particular is phenomenal, rich with details in every spread, such as the subtle hints of foreshadowing in the boy’s messy bedroom and the wonderfully unique dinosaur village, and the character design is spot-on adorable. The length is perfect, and JJ the dino-lover went wild for this one. A fresh and fun bedtime book, and we recommend it – Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Bedtime For Little Bulldozer (Elise Broach)

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Hello, friends! Our book for today is Bedtime For Little Bulldozer, written by Elise Broach and illustrated by Barry E. Jackson, a familiar bedtime tale with an oddball twist.

Little Bulldozer – a slightly scaled-down bulldozer with human parents – is ready for bedtime. He’s had his hugs, his bath, brushed his teeth, and is all snuggled into bed. Just one problem – he’s not in the least bit tired! He tries a few different methods of getting to sleep: checking under his bed (and accidentally knocking it over), assembling his stuffed animals for an impromptu storytime, even attempting to sneak downstairs. Each time, his parents catch him and attempt to settle him back down, but sleep eludes him still. At last, he decides to sneak down the hall to his sisters’ room; there, no longer alone, he is able to build a nest on the floor and go to sleep.

This hits some pretty tried and true beats for a “going to bed” book, and in a way that is creative for young readers and laughably familiar for parents. And while parents may question how two humans managed to have three construction vehicles as kids (Bulldozer’s sisters are an excavator and a steamroller), kids will likely just giggle at the absurdity of the situation and of Bulldozer’s antics. The soft-focus, dreamlike quality of the art makes it perfect for a bedtime book, and nicely imagines how a bulldozer might fit into human life. The length is great, and JJ enjoyed it – this one was fun. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Good Night, Mr. Panda (Steve Antony)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Good Night, Mr. Panda by Steve Antony, a wonderful fourth entry to one of our favorite series.

The hilariously taciturn Mr. Panda is back – this time in adorable doughnut pajamas – with a lesson in proper bedtime routine etiquette. He notes, matter-of-factly, when his fellow animals have skipped a step: Skunk has missed his bath (which he claims to take only once a year), the sheep aren’t wearing pajamas, and stinky breath is a sure sign that Hippo hasn’t brushed her teeth. The perky lemur from the previous two books is happy to point out that he is minty fresh and squeaky clean! Only one more thing left to do before bedtime: say goodnight!

If you’ve read our previous reviews of this series, you know: I LOVE Mr. Panda. JJ LOVES Mr. Panda. The stone-faced bear in his wonderfully colorful outfits, set with a lively cast of characters against colorblock backgrounds, teaching manners and, in this case, good hygiene? Simply put, a winning mix. As always, the story features plenty of opportunities for fun voices when read aloud, and a hilarious twist ending that will have kids rolling. The length is great, and we adored it. Antony continues his stellar series with another delightful installment, and a perfect bedtime one at that. Baby Bookworm approved!