The Baby Beebee Bird [Paperback]

Diane Redfield Massie (Author), Steven Kellogg (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

'Hooray for the return of the baby beebee bird' – Kirkus Reviews.

It's night time at the zoo, and all the animals are wide awake. The new baby beebee bird is keeping everyone up with his happy night song. Will they ever get some sleep?

In this newly enlarged and full–colour edition, Diane Redfield Massie's classic story has been lovingly re–illustrated by the award–winning Steven Kellogg, creating a captivating bedtime story that is just as much fun as a visit to the zoo!

Ages 3–6

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

After a long, hard day of howling, roaring, squawking, and hissing, the animals in the zoo are ready for a good night's sleep. Silence settles over the zoo, until... "Beebeebobbibobbi beebeebobbibobbi"!

"What," said the elephant, "is THAT?"

"That" turns out to be the newest addition to the zoo, a tiny but vocal baby beebee bird. Deaf to the pleas of the lion, the giraffe, and all the other animals, the baby beebee bird burbles happily on. "I've slept all day and now it's time for me to SING." Morning finds a lot of very tired critters, until the lion comes up with a plan to teach the vociferous bird that "Nighttime is really best for sleeping... especially for very little birds."

Diane Redfield Massie's bedtime story, originally published in 1963, has been reissued in a larger format, with all-new full-color illustrations by award-winning illustrator (and author) Steven Kellogg, whose A-Hunting We Will Go uses a similar cast of goofy, expressive animals to ease children into sleepy-time mode. Pages of The Baby Beebee Bird are cluttered with a delightful menagerie of bleary-eyed bears, snoring snakes, and exhausted eagles. This updated edition of an old favorite is sure to be a hit with a whole new generation of readers. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-First published in 1963 and long out of print, this delightful story has been reborn in a large format and newly illustrated edition. The beebee bird is new to the zoo and sings his song all night long, keeping the other animals awake. They concoct a plan to ensure nighttime quiet so they can sleep. The recasting of the original book from the tiny, petite size with simple cut-out animal shapes and a sweet little bird into this outsized, raucous rendering with an ungainly, gawkish, redheaded beebee retains its appeal and magnifies the playfulness. Kellogg's familiar style is a perfect foil for the frolicking turnabout tale. Creative use of large type exaggerates the noises, and the sounds match the big and tall animals' images and generate boisterous fun. This newly hatched effort is bound to invite enthusiastic participation. Welcome back, beebee bird!-Julie Cummins, New York Public Library
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (April 29, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060517840
• ISBN-13: 978-0060517847
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 6.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,604 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #7 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( K ) > Kellogg, Steven
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Issues > Sleep
  • #23 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Zoos > Fiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I've loved this book for 40 years, July 17, 2000

By 

L. Chu (Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baby Beebee Bird (Hardcover)

I still remember the librarian reading this book to us in first grade. I remembered it when my children were born but, alas, couldn't find it in print any longer. So I got it out of the library and photocopied the whole thing (horrors!). My kids loved that black-and-white version so much that, now that I'm a grandmother, my son wants it to read to his own son. Thank God it's going to be republished! This is probaby the only book that our entire family has loved for so long. It is delightful and funny and warm. And it appeals to everyone because nobody gets to escape the problems that the kid with the mixed-up sleep schedule poses. I am still known to roar "Beebee bobby!" like a lion!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Nine-month old daughter loves this book!, May 8, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Baby Beebee Bird (Hardcover)

I found an old copy of this book in my Mom's attic and I'm glad it's being re-published. It's a great children's book about a bird that makes noise at night at the zoo and the animals don't like it. Not only does it have lots of funny animal noises to make (which my daughter loves) but its message is about sleeping at night and staying awake during the day. (If only it were that easy!)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny for the whole family, September 6, 2001

By 

Deborah Fredericks "fantasy author" (Spokane, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Baby Beebee Bird (Hardcover)

This book is funny in a way the whole family can relate to. Parents and siblings who have been kept awake by a baby will especially enjoy the comic view of their predicament. Those who do the waking will enjoy the baby bird's expressing their viewpoint. The artwork is great at showing the exhausted and irascible animals who are kept awake by the cheerful baby bird. The typesetting is very clever, too.