Review by Booklist Review
A rabbit, an elephant, and a bear have a pajama party at Maggie's house. What's up first? Jumping on the bed! Then it's the Chicken Dance, a funny-face contest, hide-and-seek, balloon bounce, yoga, and a little snack. Tired out, the trio practically sleepwalk down the hall and give thanks: A long, long list of that and this, ending with a good-night kiss. Gentle blue tones and a soft palette close down the party, as the group snuggles up with Maggie for a perfect good night. Pen and ink, pencil, and watercolor on handmade paper highlight McDonnell's skill in portraying sweet comfort. The animals' expressive features are suffused with simple charm and humor: Bear's high bounce causes a pajama malfunction as his bottoms don't make the jump, while Elephant's one-footed tree stance defies gravity, and Rabbit's long ears flop in exhaustion. Generous white space accompanies the soft watercolor washes, which are a perfect background for frolicking friends. Endpapers of muted indigo skies promise delightful dreams. A sweet keeper for sleepers!--Gepson, Lolly Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A thoughtful girl named Maggie has arranged for a surprise pajama party for her beloved bunny, Clement. The invitees are Jean the elephant and Alan Alexander the bear, and if you haven't guessed by now that McDonnell (A Perfectly Messed-Up Story) is tipping his hat to some esteemed members of the children's literature pantheon, then a very familiar window that pops up in one of the party scenes should do the trick. And what a swell party it is: Maggie is an excellent hostess, providing customized snacks for each friend (which they eat with a hearty "Nom Nom Nom"), but letting the animals steer the activities, which include a funny face contest and an almost criminally adorable yoga session. Best of all, Maggie reads the trio bedtime stories-"stories about a majestic elephant, a brave bear, and a quiet bunny.... Stories that bring sweet dreams." That Maggie is revealed in the final scene snuggling her three favorite stuffed toys adds another wonderful layer to a book that readers of all ages will be thankful for. Ages 3-6. Agent: Henry Dunow, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Clement, a rabbit, is having his first sleepover. Jean (an elephant) and Alan Alexander (a bear) arrive appropriately dressed in pajamas, ready to take part in the fun. The friends spend their evening in innocent pursuits, such as happily performing the chicken dance, playing hide-and-seek, and jumping on the bed. Maggie, the young girl who shares Clement's home, serves each animal an appropriate snack-a carrot, peanuts, and honey-before the three get ready to settle down for the night. Charm and humor share the spotlight in equal measure: Alan Alexander loses his pajama bottoms while jumping on the bed; a sleepy bunny hopefully asks several times, "Now is it time for bed?"; and the three make comical expressions during a "funny face" contest. Maggie reads them bedtime stories, then asks what they are grateful for and a sweet, heartfelt poem follows. McDonnell pays homage to children's literature classics, providing plenty of nods: a red balloon, a bear and a honey pot, and a rabbit in blue-and-white pajamas. VERDICT This delightful bedtime story extols the virtues of friendship and of gratitude for simple pleasures.-Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Maggie and her little bunny host a sleepover for two of the bunnys friends, a bear and an elephant. That the bunny, bear, and elephant are named, respectively, Clement, Alan Alexander, and Jean will clue savvy adult readers-aloud in to the homage that inspires this refreshingly modest bedtime book. The three animal friends play games and have a snack, and Maggie (Margaret Wise Brown, perhaps?) reads them stories about a majestic elephant, a brave bear, and a quiet bunny before sending them off to sleep with a pretty poem and a goodnight-kiss. The gentle drollery of the text is nicely echoed in the small ink-and-watercolor vignettes, centered on the creamy pages. Details alluding to the characters picture-book classics abound, but so do contemporary touches such as the chicken dance and yoga practice. And while Hurd, Milne, and de Brunhoff could never have imagined their creations saying nom nom nom to a bedtime snack, you sense that they would be amused and tolerant. roger sutton (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Clement, Jean, and Alan Alexander (a small rabbit, miniature elephant, and a pint-sized bear) enjoy a proper pajama partycomplete with chicken dances, funny faces, balloon bounces, midnight snacks, stargazing, and lullabies. Maggie, a little girl herself, acts as a chaperone, nudging them into bed when their eyes get heavy and finally leading them in an evening giving of thanks. Her lyrical recounting of the friends' night together, strung together with sweet S sounds and snug images, sends readers slipping and sliding into sleep themselves. Some parents might feel tempted to sing such quaint rhymes: "Cozy pajamas, / a happy surprise, / night birds singing / sweet lullabies." This picture book's satisfyingly soft illustrations and diminutive dimensions (7 inches by 8 1/2 inches) feel just right for its plush language and darling characters and content. Handmade paper absorbs pen, ink, and watercolor artwork: islands of images, nebulous in shape but rich in saturation and suggestive linework. As so often with McDonnell, the details charm even the most cynical viewers: the wee animals chow down to a chorus of "nom"s; they sleepwalk their ways to bed uttering little "Z"s. Reproduced on unusually and comfortably thick card stock, the illustrations offer tactile as well as visual joy. Small listeners will nestle deep under their covers feeling thankful for tender books that make bedtime a pleasure. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
