IT SIMPLY CAN'T BE BEDTIME

A girl’s stuffed pig helps her postpone bedtime.

Daddy says it’s time to go to sleep, but his daughter insists that she isn’t ready. Her stuffed animal, Lady Pigsworth, takes the lead, suggesting creative tactics to delay the inevitable. With guidance from Lady Pigsworth, Daddy helps the girl exchange her fairy costume for pajamas, brush her teeth, clean her room, and read a story. But as the girl gets increasingly sleepy, she loses her enthusiasm for Lady Pigsworth’s escalating antics, which include requests for tea with scones, a lullaby (with the porcine plushie accompanying Daddy with her clarinet), and silk sheets strewn with flowers. Finally, the girl notices that Lady Pigsworth has worn herself out and tucks her stuffed animal into bed. Both drift off to sleep—but not before scheming to do it all again tomorrow. The basic plot is familiar enough, but it’s told with humor and sweetness, accompanied by Salerno’s retro-style illustrations, dominated by soothing nighttime hues of lavender and yellow. The text is entirely made up of dialogue, mostly between the father and Lady Pigsworth. The pig’s formal, British-inspired speech (“Tickety-boo, old chap”) makes for a fun read-aloud. The father and daughter model a strong, loving relationship as he joins her play wholeheartedly, giving her agency while also steadily guiding her toward bed. The human characters have light skin and dark hair.

An amusing addition to the bedtime story stack.