GRUMBLESOME

A young child comes to regret his obstreperous bedtime behavior after some self-reflection in Foster’s picture book.

Nat, a little boy with light skin and brown hair, lies frustrated in his bed. No matter how hard he tries, he just cannot fall asleep. When he steps into the hallway and discovers his game controller tossed on the floor, a flashback returns him to the events of earlier that night. His parents had urged him to go to bed, but he refused to put down his video game, and an over-the-top tantrum ensued: “My answer is NO! It’s MY controller. I WANT ONE MORE HOUR!” Ashamed, Nat goes back to his room and tries to calm himself with deep breaths. (“If I think hard, I can work out a plan. How to apologize? How to be kind?”) He begins to work on an endearing arts and crafts project to make things right with his family. Dorman’s cartoony illustrations are wonderfully detailed and deftly capture the emotional world of a young child. The rhymes are also a treat, melodic and engaging to read: “Crumpling his blanket and kicking the floor, Nat knew he just couldn’t sleep anymore!” The book offers young readers an accessible and appealing entry point for learning how to reflect on actions, self-soothe, and make amends.

Has all the characteristics of a classic bedtime story.