Reviews for Nighty night!
Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Full-page watercolors display four barnyard parents' surprise as they enter pens and nests to tuck in their energetic children but find another's offspring. The jokesters' gleeful expressions change to chastened then to sleepy, but the little ones still find age-old ways to delay bedtime. Human parents and children will chuckle at the final delaying tactic of the piglets: ""We have to wee, wee, wee!"" (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Mischievous mix-ups rule in this fun-loving tale of barnyard babies who stave off the bedtime hour for as long as possible. To the consternation of their surprised parents, the ducklings, piglets, lambs and chicks initially swap beds. "You sassy scalawags! You're not my darling ducklings!" Father Duck admonishes the piglets he finds frolicking in his pond. Mother Hen scolds the lambs in her chicken coop, "You naughty scamps! You're not my chicky chicks!" Subsequent stalling tactics will be familiar to children and parents everywhere: "We want ten kisses each!" "Tell us one more story, please!" (Or, as the piglets squeal, "We have to wee, wee, wee!") Australian collaborators Wild and Argent (Miss Lily's Fabulous Pink Feather Boa) depict these antics through simple, rhythmic sentences and muted watercolors that lend a cozy, snuggle-up feel to the story. Argent's expressive paintings combine well with Wild's repetitive and sometimes alliterative phrasing: "Settle down." "Snuggle up." "Sleep tight." "Nighty night!" Young readers won't want these characters to say good night and will surely use this book to forestall their own imminent bedtimes. Ages 2-6. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Wild (The Pocket Dogs, p. 423, etc.) scores again with a barnyard of animal babies who won't go to bed. It is time to be tucked in and the parent animals-Mother Sheep, Father Duck, Mother Hen, and Father Pig-send their children to bed. Mother Sheep arrives at her pen but when she calls, "Nighty night, my lovely lambs" her little lambs have been replaced by little chicks who say, "Cheep! Cheep! Tricked you!" And so it goes throughout the barnyard as one parent after another stands in open-mouthed surprise at finding substitute children. Father Duck discovers piglets in the pond, "You sassy scalawags!" Mother Hen is shocked that the lambs are tucked into the nest in her hen house and ducklings surprise Father Pig. They are all sorted out in the end with a chorus of "Nighty nights." There is one last delaying tactic from each and the piglets claim they have to "wee, wee, wee." The repeated phrases will be sure to have sleepy children chiming in and Argent's (Sleepy Bears, 1999, etc.) strong, rich watercolors offer beguiling parents and offspring. A delightful bedtime treat that could stir up "little rascals." (Picture book. 3-5)
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Ages 2-6. It's bedtime for the little farm animals, but tucking them in isn't easy, much to the parents' surprise and the little ones' delight. Mother Sheep finds chicks hiding in the pen; Father Duck discovers piglets frolicking in the pond; Mother Hen finds lambs in the coop, joyfully chorusing "Baa! Baa! Boo!" Just when things seem sorted out, the lambs want another story, the chicks are thirsty, and the piglets need to "wee, wee, wee!" Ultimately, tiredness prevails--or does it? Children and the adults who read to them will relish this delightful depiction of bedtime stalling. Wild's simple text will be fun to read aloud, from the animal parents' elegant, silly forms of address ("precious piglets," "sassy scalawags!") to the playfully incorporated animals' sounds ("Quack! Quack! Fooled you!" ). The richly saturated artwork has wonderful depth and captures the animals' expressions and actions with wit and charm. A humorous look at bedtime on the farm and also at home. --Shelle Rosenfeld
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
PreS-K-Four parents are trying to get their little ones off to bed. Instead of her "lovely lambs," however, Mother Sheep finds rascally chicks, Father Duck finds sassy piglets, Mother Hen finds naughty lambs, and Father Pig finds tricky ducklings. Once the animals are rounded up, the little creatures postpone going to sleep by using some of the same tricks children are familiar with-asking for one more story, saying they are thirsty, etc. Argent's lovely watercolor illustrations highlight the characters' humorous expressions. The well-designed book features appropriately spaced spot illustrations on white alternating with richly colored pages. Full-page spreads are sparingly used to provide visual punch. This rhythmic, repetitive bedtime story will lull kids to sleep and comfort tired parents.-Debbie Stewart, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
