BEDSLIME BLUES

A well-known nightly scenario plays out with an unusual cast.

Like this author/illustrator team’s Be My Valenslime (2023), this tale stars a crew of wacky but nonfrightening monsters. Happily playing outdoors with some animal friends, they hear a call from a nearby cave: “BEDTIME!” But these little ones resort to some familiar delaying tactics (“You can’t find me!” “I’m thirsty!” “More snacks!”) as their parents attempt to shepherd them to bed. A horned creature named Iggy initially resists bathtime, but a bit of imaginative play makes his ablutions much more enticing. Fleck throws a tantrum when Daddy tells him he can only have two stories before bed, but Daddy gently cuddles his little one, and the “bedslime blues” quickly dissipate. At last, the night wraps up with prayers, hugs and kisses, and a yawn. Everyone, including the woodland creatures (among them, a unicorn and its child), sleeps tight. Despite the final assertion that “bedtime really is slime-tastic,” there’s not much slime to be found here, though one of the monsters drips a strange green substance. Occasional rhymes rock the rhythmic, well-paced text. Doerrfeld’s distinctive, firmly outlined cartoon style gives her monstrous cast, whom fans will recognize from the first book, original attributes and vibrant moves.

Another warm hug from Tarantino and Doerrfeld.