Petey's Bedtime Story [Paperback]

Beverly Cleary (Author), David Small (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

Petey's in no hurry to go to sleep, but he loves being put to bed -- the bath, the books, the hugs, the chases, and, best of all, the story of the day he was born. One night, with Mommy and Daddy too sleepy to go on, Petey tells his own version of the day he came stomping into the world, cowboy boots and all!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

According to PW, Cleary's tale about a boy who loves bedtime and all the relevant preparations "is as buoyant and as amiable as its hero." Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-Unlike most preschoolers, Petey loves to go to bed. After his nightly bath/book/chase-around-the-dining-room ritual, his parents carry him off to his room. Petey then requests the story of his birth, and quickly takes over the telling from his father. His embellished version includes a run-in with a police officer, a fire truck, and his mother racing through the hospital halls in a wheelchair, and ends with Petey entering the world wearing cowboy boots, green overalls, and a bow tie. Small's cartoonlike watercolors, done in the same playful style as Imogene's Antlers (Crown, 1988), are appropriate to the action. The artist shows Petey as the busy kid he seems to be, living in a home with toys everywhere and parents who never look uptight. In all, this is an enjoyable foray into the bedtime genre, portraying a parent-child relationship similar to that in Angela Johnson's Tell Me a Story, Mama (Orchard, 1989), but with a bit of wild abandon.
Lynn Cockett, Nutley Public Library, NJ
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 19, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688143903
• ISBN-13: 978-0688143909
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #225,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Beverly Cleary's birthday, April 12th, is celebrated across the country on D.E.A.R. Day, with activities related to the Drop Everything and Read Program. One of the most popular and honored authors of all time, Beverly Cleary has won the Newbery Medal for Dear Mr. Henshaw, and both Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Ramona and Her Father have been named Newbery Honor Books. She makes her home in coastal California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Petey's Bedtime Story, December 8, 1999

By 

peter magnani (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Petey's Bedtime Story (Paperback)

This story amused my 3 & 5 year olds to tears, especially the story of his birth. The Hospital scenes, Petey's imagination, and the vibrantly funny illustrations were a perfect match. The colorful but simple storyline read quickly, humored the young as well as the old. This book is a real must for 3-6 year olds... and 30+...

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, great story for bedtime!, February 25, 2005

By 

c2 (Dublin, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Petey's Bedtime Story (Paperback)

Boy, is this ever cute! Cleary does it again with such amusement - telling a story of a little guy who loves to prolong going to bed. After settling in, he wants to hear the "baby story," basically, which is the story on the way to his birth. His parents are tired so Petey gets to tell the story this time, complete with full, exaggerated embellishments. My personal favorite is how Petey describes his father being bad by going too fast in his car and having his mother promise to make daddy be good to the police officer so that he doesn't have to go to jail because he would miss his football games on television. That was great! After the story, Petey put his parents to sleep and he toddles off, grabs a whole box of cookies and eats them on his parents' bed before he nods off to dreamland. The best line is the last - he describes how he feels safe, warm and full sleeping on his parent's bed, covered in crumbs! Very cute, quite long, though so don't think this will be a quick read and off to bed. It's quite sweet and will definitely become a favorite in your house too.

4.0 out of 5 stars Time for bed!!!, November 25, 2003

By 

Melissa Sack (georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Petey's Bedtime Story (Library Binding)

Kids love to prolong bedtime as long as possible. Petey is no different. One night before bed after prayers, water and checking for monsters Petey wants a bedtime story. His mom and Dad both read him a book. Then he wants his Dad to tell the story of the night Petey was born. His Dad sugests that since Petey knows the story by heart maybe he should tell it. Petey tells the story and adds lots to it as he goes. Soon his paretns are asleep instead of Petey. This is a very cute bedtime story for little children.