Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early [Hardcover]

Erica S. Perl (Author), George Bates (Illustrator), George Bates (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005 | Grade Level: P and up

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.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-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
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred 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 © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810949261
• ISBN-13: 978-0810949263
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 11.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #778,683 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Erica S. Perl is an award winning children's book author. Her new middle grade novel, When Life Gives You O.J., is a "warm novel about family, friendship, and fitting in that offers a refreshing take on the grandparent-grandchild rapport and strikes an admirable balance of humor and pathos--at times in the same scene." (Publishers Weekly).

Erica is the author of Dotty (illustrated by Julia Denos), which is perfect for back-to-school and has been called "a charmer" (Kirkus Reviews) and "an unadulterated delight" (Publishers Weekly). She is also the author of Chicken Butt! (now available in plush from Merrymakers!), Chicken Butt's Back!, Ninety-three In My Family and Chicken Bedtime is Really Early.

In addition, Erica is the author of the YA novel, Vintage Veronica. Publishers Weekly calls Vintage Veronica "wonderfully fun." Booklist says Erica "masterfully" creates "earthy and real" emotional lives for her characters, building "a romance that's as complicated as it is sweet," and School Library Journal cheers Veronica as "a much needed character in young adult fiction."

When she is not writing, Erica likes to sing, dance, draw, read, and eat stale red licorice. She loves animals and kids and is wonderful with them, but she is terrible with plants. Seriously - ask any plant.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous new bedtime book--great for siblings!, March 23, 2005

By 

Nancy K. Kilburn - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early (Hardcover)

This book has everything I want in a bedtime book. Both my kids (3 and 5) were enthralled (great rhymes; colorful fun pics with plenty of detail, but not so much that we get stuck on each page for 3 minutes.) It's the perfect length (long enough that the kids are sleepier than when we started, not so long that I'm nearly falling asleep) and it finally put to bed (pun intended) my 3 year old daughter's constant question of why she goes to bed earlier than her 5 year old brother. "The farm is just like our house!" she exclaimed when we read it. Now if only I could get their room not to look so much like the pigsty...

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars what an amazing bedtime story!!!, March 14, 2005

By 

fiction enthusiast (new york) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed this book -- enjoyable for my daughter, due to the charming rhyme scheme and beautiful images, and enjoyable for us parents, as well -- this book avoids the insipid tone of so many kids' books, and manages to be original, witty, and soothing -- all at the same time. What an amanzing debut -- I can't wait for more books from this woman!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 10-month-old keeps picking this book from his book basket, May 13, 2005

By 

J. Marshall - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chicken Bedtime Is Really Early (Hardcover)

This is a very funny and well-written book, as other reviewers have already noted. I also appreciate that dads are featured in the putting-to-bed rituals. Wish it came in a board format so that my little one could turn the pages more easily.