  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 09/01/2018 Roderick will think of any excuse not to go to bed at night. So his parents decide to get him a goodnight buddy to help him sleep: Sleepy, a wide-eyed toy who looks something like a bear, something like a moose. Turns out the talkative stuffed companion really resists bedtime, too. Slumber doesn’t come, and now Sleepy is thirsty. Then he needs to pee; then he forgot to brush his teeth. He needs stories, a blankie, and a snack (and then to brush his teeth again, of course). Young Roderick’s facial expressions get more and more frustrated as Sleepy’s demands escalate, while alternating purple speech bubbles show the back-and-forth conversation between the two. Finally, in an arm-waving, open-mouthed howling, Roderick screams: “Sleepy!! It’s time for bed! Now go to sleep!” Digitally enhanced watercolor done in backgrounds of grays and blues underscore the two characters’ convoluted efforts to put off bedtime. The author of the popular The Day the Crayons Quit (2013) has another winner, this time for sleepy youngsters. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Daywalt's Crayon series were best-sellers, and this picture book, on a perennially popular topic, is primed to send lots of kids off to dreamland. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. School Library Journal - 09/01/2018 PreS-Gr 2—Young Roderick will do almost anything to delay going to bed, wearing down his poor parents with questions and requests. So they decide to buy him a goodnight buddy to assist him in falling asleep. However, this new buddy seems to do everything but help Roderick fall asleep! Will his parents' plan ultimately work or will there be many more sleepless nights ahead? This hilarious picture book from Daywalt, author of The Day the Crayons Quit, is sure to please children of all ages and tickle those who also find it difficult to go to bed. The familiar requests for a glass of water and just one more story will ring true with readers, but they will laugh out loud at what happens next in this tale. Roderick gets a taste of his own medicine, but it is cranked up to another level. His new little buddy is so pesky and adorable that kids will be wishing for one of their own. The text is comedic with the conversations between characters displayed in different colored speech bubbles, making it easy for kids to follow which character is saying what. Campbell's digitally enhanced watercolor paintings are large and perfectly illustrate the various emotions in the story. Especially expressive are the characters' eyes, which show a range of feeling from happy to sad, and from frustrated to just plain worn out. VERDICT A first purchase; a definite yes if one is looking for a laugh-out-loud read-aloud.—Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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