told him about her day -
the who,
the what,
the why,
and the way...
the whole wild thing...
turned out okay."
All those things that make going to bed easier, no matter the age we are. Some people like warm baths, others like to read, little ones loves cuddles, and stories, and drinks of water, and kisses, and another story, and cuddles....you get the picture. The little boy in this book likes a kiss, and a story and a gentle good night from his mom; but he saves the best for last.
He might be the only boy in the world who loves bedtime, I'm not sure. The delight in his eyes as he settles in next to his mom to enjoy their nightly ritual is evident to little listeners. But, the best is yet to come! Once the lights are turned out, he talks with Greedy Goose, who has a cough. As she tells him about her day, we take note of what happened in a series of spot and panel illustrations. Blue Horse is next...and so it goes until all of their days have been shared, and they finish with the boy's description of the day he has had with his stuffed toys in tow. It's all OK!
If we didn't have Lauren Stringer's lovely acrylic artwork to ponder, we might not know what has happened throughout the day to be shared between friends. She creates a cozy charm with her soft edges, and cool colors. Light infuses every page, shining in the faces of both Mom and her bedtime boy. Moonlight shines through the window as the pals settle in for a good night's sleep. As they tell their stories, the backgrounds are daytime white, while the storytelling scenes are set on almost navy backgrounds evoking evening calm.
Mem Fox knows what young readers need, and she works extremely hard to find the perfect word and phrase to ensure that they come away from the reading loving the experience. Her repetitive, rhythmic language is just right for those learning about the magic of the written word. She's done it again, and we thank her!
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