Bedtime! [Hardcover]

Christine Anderson (Author), Steven Salerno (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

It’s bedtime. But Melanie is far too busy to sleep. The tower she is building needs to be BIGGER—what if elephants come over to play? Yet Mom is just as stubborn as Melanie, and somebody is going to take a bath, put on her princess pajamas, kiss Daddy goodnight and get under the covers for a bedtime story. The only question is:Who? With irresistible illustrations by Steven Salerno, this hilarious picture book—based on a real event in the author’s life—will light a mischievous gleam in the eyes of parents and children everywhere.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K–Melanie resists preparing for bed, instead designing an ever-growing block tower in the event that large animals come to play. After calling her several times, Mother switches gears and gives Bart, the dog, a bath instead. Melanie continues on with her task, while the now brushed and groomed pup is the recipient of loving attention. Melanie is stunned when Bart, dressed in her favorite pajamas, listens to her bedtime story under her covers. All's well that ends well: Melanie and Bart are shown happily snuggled up on the final spread. Salerno's watercolor, gouache, and ink artwork has a stylized, modern retro look and a dynamic use of line. The illustrations maximize the action and provide plenty of humorous touches. This is an irresistible approach to the ups and downs of bedtime rituals.–Andrea Tarr, Corona Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS. Melanie is enjoying her building blocks, so ignoring her mother's bedtime calls is easy. Mom takes the hint, and instead of beginning the go-to-sleep routine with her daughter, she starts putting Bart the dog to bed. He gets the bubble bath and the soft towel rub. He even gets to wear Melanie's favorite pajamas. Although the tower she's building has to grow bigger (to accommodate elephants), Melanie starts to notice that Bart is getting all the attention--including the story and the goodnight kiss! Now it's a mad rush to get to bed just to hear her favorite bit of the story. By the time it's finished, Bart is sound asleep, and so is Melanie. Anderson's art harkens back to the cartoon-style of the 1960s (think The Jetsons), and she uses blots of colored amoeba shapes as background, giving the whole book a delightful retro look. Young children will feel solidarity with Melanie, who doesn't want to go to sleep, and they'll laugh as her jealousy gets the better of her. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (June 16, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399240047
• ISBN-13: 978-0399240041
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,749,375 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet book, November 16, 2011

By 

Danielle Doller (Valley Cottage, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bedtime! (Hardcover)

Great book - my 2-year-old loves it! We wish the author had more books for us to read. Adorable concept showing the side-by-side happenings of the mother and daughter on each page. Great illustrations too.

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Bed Time Story, March 7, 2009

By 

H. Nemirow "avid reader" (Arlington,VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bedtime! (Hardcover)

This book is great for a bedtime read. I give it for gifts and still read it to my 5 year old. LOVE IT!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great children's book, January 11, 2009

By 

K. McLeod "friend of Ringo" (Wash, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bedtime! (Hardcover)

My kids and I both loved this book. The mother's approach to the bedtime ritual is both fresh and funny. The illustrations match the lighthearted story line perfectly. This is a great book for children who are never ready to go to bed (and anyone else).