An entertaining tale sure to resonate with those on either side of the bedtime battle.
I’m not tired!
Perhaps you know a tiny person who likes to adamantly declare that they’re not tired. If so, they’ll feel an immediate kinship with Sleepy Sheepy, a droopy-eyed ball of white wool who is “NOT SLEEPY!” even though it is time for bed (the illustrations of an exhausted-looking sheep provide a hilarious counterpoint to his claim). His heavy-lidded parents (who have baby carriers strapped to their chests holding Sleepy Sheepy’s siblings) attempt to wrangle him, but he has other ideas—great ideas! Like skateboarding and singing karaoke! But the parents slowly direct Sheepy to his bed, with mixed results. After one last breakout to grab a snack, Sheepy declares, “I’m a little bit tired” and is shuffled off to bed (without brushing his teeth, it seems). The story is amusing—although maybe not that amusing to parents who dance a similar dance regularly. The blue-tinged cartoonish illustrations are humorous, depicting tired expressions on everyone’s faces except the two babies—perhaps hinting at future stories of this wooly family. Caregivers will enjoy making this a bedtime read, and librarians will turn to this often for pajama storytimes. Young readers who love rebelling against bedtime rules will delight in seeing Sheepy’s evening escapades, and astute members of this crowd will notice his happy smile when he’s finally curled up in bed. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An entertaining tale sure to resonate with those on either side of the bedtime battle. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 31, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-46591-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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