Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 12/01/2014 K-Gr 2—It's bedtime. All the animals—snoozing toucans, dozing chickens, heaps of wooly sheep, and even whales lulled by rocking currents—are beginning their cozy slumber. Rambunctious Fred has too many plans to even think of bed, however. First he has to break the world record for shouting, then his horn collection needs testing. He even needs to practice his karate chops. After multiple zany spreads depict the pajama-clad troublemaker doing his best to stay up, he's suddenly missing. Readers find him collapsed, thumb in mouth, using one of the hapless sheep as a pillow. While children will enjoy Fred's antics and identify with his reluctance to hit the hay, parents should be ready to explain some of the elements in the book. Sasquatch and breaking records, for example, are not concepts that are generally familiar to the target audience, but explaining them offers a jumping-off point for examining the scads of details in Schneider's colorful cartoons. A fun addition to the bedtime canon.—Etta Verma, Library Journal - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.