UP ALL NIGHT

What happens when a toddler stays awake all night long? A young boy narrates the result of his experiment (and his regrets!) in this parent-pleasing debut from Lis and Loza.

“Last night, I decided I was not going to bed,” proclaims the toddler narrator as the book opens, followed by four textless pages of active illustrations by Loza, showing the types of playing the boy does through the whole night. But the result isn’t what the boy expected. The next morning, he is so tired he tries to wear his baby brother’s shirt and father’s socks. His baby brother watches with interest as the boy falls asleep on his highchair tray at breakfast. The toddler goes through his morning in a haze, watching the news instead of his own show because he’s too tired to change the channel, wearing a bucket instead of a hat, petting a purse instead of a dog, and dozing off while doing his favorite things. He’s learned his lesson—but it looks like his baby brother is wide awake! Parents who have struggled with getting their children to sleep through the night will gleefully share this tale with their lap readers, and newly independent readers will find the vocabulary approachable—and be able to laugh at the silly toddler. Loza’s cartoon illustrations are reminiscent of Charles M. Schultz’s "Peanuts" strips; they’re more three-dimensional but less polished. In one instance, a background line crosses the boy’s nose.

A fun, inventive choice for children that may help them understand the consequences of staying up late.