There will never be a magic book that puts every child to sleep, but this hushed cadence is certain to soothe.
A quiet rhyme follows a little girl through her nighttime routine.
The yawns begin on the very first page and are contagious. A little girl, her puppy, a toy and even the picture on the wall all have their mouths stretched wide open: “Stardust sky and silver moon / Someone’s sleepy / Bedtime soon.” She takes a bath, puts on her pajamas, brushes her teeth and gets tucked in tight. The lulling text highlights different parts of the body, prompting parents to gently touch each part (maybe even with a kiss) during sweet bedtime read-alouds. “Sleepy shoulders / Sleepy knees / Sleepy through-the-window breeze. // Sleepy teeth and sleepy lips / Sleepy toes and fingertips.” Warm jewel tones and cozy crosshatching, along with heavy lids and those oh-so-realistic yawns, give Andreasen’s illustrations a comfort just right for bedtime.
There will never be a magic book that puts every child to sleep, but this hushed cadence is certain to soothe. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0539-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2013
We’ll say it: a toothsome experience.
Flash those pearly whites!
Renowned poet Florian’s jaunty rhymes suggest that a hygiene ritual many children consider bothersome can be “fun! fun! fun!” Each spread features lively scenes showing kids demonstrating tooth- and mouth-cleansing techniques as well as two couplets in which the second exclamatory lines—containing a word repeated three times—rhyme with each other (“Toothpaste on the / brush! brush! brush!” “Take your time. / Don’t rush! rush! rush!”). Parents and caregivers seeking an enjoyable, stimulating way to motivate youngsters to perform this important daily task may wish to recite the rollicking verses to provide a pleasant, rhythmic, chanting “background” whenever their kids wield their toothbrushes. The colorful, energetic illustrations depict happy, wide-eyed, racially diverse small children—some with missing teeth—taking care of their oral-hygiene business with gusto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
We’ll say it: a toothsome experience. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1340-1
Page Count: 18
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
If Black Lives Matter, they deserve more specificity than this.
A lushly illustrated picture book with a troubling message.
Little Lala walks with her father after his successful day of fishing. When Mama calls her home for bed, a host of “good night”s delays her: to the bird, the monkey, and even the rock. As Lala wanders through her village in the darkening twilight, readers appreciate its expansive beauty and Lala’s simple joys. Although it’s been artfully written and richly illustrated by an award-winning author of many multicultural stories, this book has problems that overshadow its beauty. “African veld” sets the story in southern Africa, but its vague locale encourages Americans to think that distinctions among African countries don’t matter. Lala wears braids or locks that stick straight up, recalling the 19th-century pickaninny, and her inconsistent skin color ranges from deep ebony like her father’s to light brown. Shadows may cause some of these differences, but if it weren’t for her identifiable hair, readers might wonder if the same child wanders from page to page. Perhaps most striking of all is Lala’s bedtime story: not an African tale but an American classic. While this might evoke nostalgia in some readers, it also suggests that southern Africa has no comparably great bedtime books for Lala, perhaps in part because American children’s literature dominates the world market.
If Black Lives Matter, they deserve more specificity than this. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-17384-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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