Review Detail

A vindicating, comical tale of reversed roles. Told as a farcical guide for kids, this delightful picture book offers a twist on the age-old parental struggle with their children’s bedtime cooperation. The story opens with a young girl resisting bedtime, but quickly morphs into a lesson in empathy and (as a winsome side effect) irony.

"Adventures are out there waiting.
But have you looked at your parents?
Poor things.
Just between you and me, they are not looking their best."

This is a very quick read; suitable for children ages 4-8 and any parent with a sense of humor. The word density is pretty sparse—sometimes with only a few words or a sentence per page, but well varied in font and placement. The playful watercolor-ish illustrations feature prominently as a result, with both a stylistic and tonal air that is vaguely reminiscent of the Farside comics.

I’ll happily admit I laughed aloud over this book numerous times. My 5 and 6 year old seemed to grasp the humor in some of it—particularly the part where the unnamed little girl in the story attempts to drag her sleeping father across their living room. The full brunt of the hilarity may be lost on them, but the therapeutic parental qualities are well worth it. My only regret is that the book wasn’t a bit longer for the price. (If the author requires any additional stall-tactic content for future editions, this reader/parent could eagerly supply a few suggestions.)