Description
Barnes & Noble Best Book of the Year
Kirkus Best Book of the Year
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
4 STARRED REVIEWS
Nikki Grimes, Coretta Scott King Award winning author, and acclaimed illustrator Elizabeth Zunon's latest children's masterpiece creates an imagination-fueled and animal-filled journey to bedtime.
"Has the feel of an all-time great bedtime picture book" - The New York Times
It's bedtime. But Mommy's little one is not sleepy.
He growls like a bear, he questions like an owl, he tosses his mane like a lion. He hunts for water like a sly wolf, and hides like a snake.
Mommy needs to wrangle her sweet creature in bed so that the whole family can sleep. From tigers to squirrels to snakes, the little boy dodges around his bedtime, until he is tired enough to finally sleep. His imaginative animal friends weave their way through the illustrations, eventually joining him in curling up for the night.
For those seeking children's books about diversity, this loving depiction of everyday shenanigans is sure to become a bedtime favorite. Bedtime for Sweet Creatures is an African American children's book that celebrates imagination, playful moments, and the love between a Black mother and child.
"The mother's loving understanding is demonstrated by how she works with her child's rich imagination, never slipping into admonishment. As such, children will engage with the pajama-clad tot's antics and be soothed by the book's positive tone. A fabulous interpretation of an everyday battle."-Booklist, STARRED review
About the Author
New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award, the 2017 Children's Literature Legacy Award, the 2016 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the 2006 NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, among many others. Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California. Find her at nikkigrimes.com.
Elizabeth Zunon grew up in West Africa and now lives Albany, NY where she draws, paints, collages, sews, silkscreens, makes jewelry, and ponders the endless possibilities of chocolate. Her work is largely influenced by the people, places, and things from her childhood in the Ivory Coast as the product of two cultures. Visit her at lizzunon.com.
Reviews
"Grimes and Zunon capture the time-for-bed dance with verve, imagination and empathy in this tale of a not-sleepy child and her creative appeals to stay up longer... On each lovely page, Zunon collages realistic images of the family alongside fanciful, mythical-looking animals. With its refreshing ending - the girl ends up in her parents' bed, as so many children do - this one has the feel of an all-time great bedtime picture book." - The New York Times
"vivid and appealing" - The Wall Street Journal
"Lots of rich imagery plus brightly colored collage illustrations make this a wonderful choice to read to children at bedtime, rich with family, imagination, and love." - Imagination Soup
"[A] rhythmic, playful romp through a restless child's bedtime routine... a loving, effective lullaby." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"An adorable and imaginative bedtime story to add to collections for young children...children will engage with the pajama-clad tot's antics and be soothed by the book's positive tone. A fabulous interpretation of an everyday battle." - Booklist (starred review)
"A patient mother with a healthy sense of whimsy helps prepare her headstrong toddler for bed... Zunon's art takes this book to the next level: Her portrayals of the animals mentioned in the text are colorful and full of intriguing patterns and shapes. An adventurous treat of a bedtime story." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Lushly illustrated...A clever bedtime tale for stubborn, active twenty-first-century kids." - Hornbook
"Exceptionally well-done... highly recommended." - School Library Journal (starred review)
Book Information
ISBN 9781492638322
Author Elizabeth Zechel
Format Hardback
Page Count 32
Imprint Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Publisher Sourcebooks, Inc
Weight(grams) 470g
Dimensions(mm) 222mm * 290mm * 10mm
