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Summary
Summary
Cheerful and observant, this rhyming story mirrors the bedtime rituals of children - brushing teeth, begging for a story, needing just one more glass of water - in the antics of a group of appealing young farm animals. We see bunnies gathered in footy pyjamas for a bedtime story, chickens flossing their teeth, and frogs singing lullabies. It's clever twist on a traditional bedtime book and ends with the promise of an exciting new day. Clock faces are hidden throughout the scenes, giving youngsters a chance to brush up on the search and time-telling skills.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-This bouncy bedtime tale describes how various barnyard creatures get ready to rest, hour by hour. First, the mother hens put their little ones in the bath, "So when it is six, every chick boy and girlie,/Is snug in the coop. Chicken bedtime is early!" At seven, it's time for the cows and the sheep to hit the hay, followed by bunnies at eight, fish at nine, and so on. Several hamsters settle down in their cage to take a nap at eleven, but are up an hour later for "a brisk midnight jog on the wheel." After the rooster crows at dawn, all of the sleepers awaken, and the story ends with a young boy, still in bed, taking a morning stretch. Although some of the rhymes are a bit forced ("It's time for each one of the/bun-dads and mommies,/To put their young rabbits/in footy pajamies"), the language has a comfortable, informal tone and moves along at a brisk pace. The acrylic paintings create a pleasing balance of colorful textures and simple lines. The cartoon animals are gracefully arranged across each spread, and the background hues grow gradually deeper to accentuate the evening darkness. An additional purchase where bedtime books are popular.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this first book for both Perl and Bates, bedtime is a fluid concept. For chickens, lights out is 6 p.m.-hence the title. Fish hustle their young ones off to bed at nine and still meet with considerable resistance: "Then some of the little fish sons and fish daughters,/ Ask, `Why can't I have just one more glass of water?' " Then there's hamsters, who really march to a different circadian drummer-achieving "their hamstery best" at midnight, and falling asleep when the rest of the world is waking up. Working with a warm, jewel-toned palette, Bates (a veteran graphic designer), gives his pictures the nubby texture of paper towels; the homespun effect makes his cast of stylized, slightly goofy animals (which also includes cows, sheep, rabbits and frogs) all the more endearing. Kids and adults alike will get a kick out of the visual jokes: a chick conscientiously flosses its beak, a bleary-eyed rabbit parent clutches a morning cup of coffee. As for Perl's versifying, it's perfectly pitched for young ears, combining puns ("No more carping!" the fish dads warn their recalcitrant offspring), simple rhymes, silly words and repetition to achieve a satisfying snappiness. It's hard to imagine lines like "It's time for each one of the buns-dads and mommies,/ To put their young rabbits in footy pajamies" wearing out their welcome anytime soon. A double debut that's double the fun. Ages 3-6. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Horn Book Review
Who knew? Young farm animals are as expert at forestalling bedtime as their human counterparts: lambs and calves don't come indoors when their mamas call, fish in a pond demand drinks of water, etc. The rhymes (including the improvised ones: ""girlie"" and ""early,"" ""mommies"" and ""pajamies"") work because they're as bouncy as the textured acrylic illustrations are inviting. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
PreS. From chickens to hamsters, from rabbits to sheep. Sooner or later we all need to sleep, begins this charming countdown to bedtime in a barnyard. At five o'clock, chicks take their baths and snuggle into their coop. At eight, bun-dads and mommies . . . put their young rabbits in footy pajamies. Each hour brings bedtime for a new animal. At last, only the rowdy hamsters are still playing. Then morning comes, and the rooster rises, followed by all the other animals, including YOU. Children will delight in recognizing the familiar sleepy-time routines in Perl's infectious, bouncing rhymes: the bunnies want the same story, even though they've all heard it eighteen times before ; the fish sons and daughters all want just one more glass of water. Bates' acrylic paintings--in rich hues, textures, and appealingly simplified shapes--capture the delicious chaos and tumble of toddler bedtime and cast the deep night, when everyone is asleep, as reassuring, safe, and peaceful. Cropped to varying sizes and nicely positioned with several images per page, the art will give children plenty to notice and point to. Together, the words and pictures make a clever, winning offering that soars above other all-too-common bedtime books. --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2005 Booklist
