Review by Booklist Review
After supper, a toddler and his parents begin his evening routine: There's a shirt to slip off. / Socks to kick off. / Splishity splash! / Here's Baby's bath. / There are bubbles to pop. / Toys to kerplop! / Duck to take swimming. / Boat to take skimming. The rhyming and near-rhyming couplets cascade toward the story's conclusion, but along the way, Baby and his parents enjoy snuggling, singing, and looking at books. After a big hug, Baby lies down in his crib with his blankie and stuffed animals and falls asleep. It's a familiar sequence for many kids, but that's what makes this such a reassuring read-aloud choice for young children. The rhythmic phrases are brief and mildly amusing, while the large-scale artwork portrays a family that's loving and resourceful, even in that sad moment when the water drains out of the bathtub. Wohnoutka's simple, cheerful illustrations focus on the child and his parents, with just enough background to set the scenes and props to carry out the action. Just right for bedtime reading.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Writing in soft, rolling rhymes, Roemer walks through a toddler's nighttime routine as doting parents alternate caretaking roles. First, a bath: "There are bubbles to pop./ Toys to kerplop!" After snuggling in a puppy towel, receiving a belly tickle, changing into pajamas, and sharing a bedtime song and a story, it's crib time-the toddler sips some milk and cuddles with a blanket, teddy bear, and stuffed bunny. After a goodnight hug with both parents, the child heads off to sleep, bathed in comforting light: "Peepity peep./ Shhh... Baby's asleep." Wohnoutka's chalky art creates a sense of homey contentment-like a warm blanket. Ages 2-5. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Horn Book Review
Two parents, a young toddler, and a handful of stuffed animals move through a cheerful bedtime routine. Soft-edged, well-composed vignettes depict every step between dinner and bed, with simple rhyming text reinforcing each illustrated activity. The characters' persistent smiling feels more aspirational than realistic, but the child-centered narration may encourage less resistance and more autonomy from young listeners. (c) Copyright 2021. 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
This rhyming picture book follows a family through their toddler's bedtime routine. As caregivers know, the bedtime routine is the cornerstone of a toddler's day's end. It is time for bath and books and snuggles and, of course, a little fun with mom and dad. Silly nonsense phrases such as "Blibbity blub" and "Buggity boo!" will make small kids laugh and have them repeating the words. They also ensure that the rhyme proceeds in sprightly fashion; though not all the couplets include them, they ward against forced rhymes, as does the author's decision to employ assonance on occasion: "There are ears to nuzzle. / Towel to snuggle." Wohnoutka's brightly colored illustrations, done in acrylic gouache and showing both mom and dad participating in different bedtime tasks, are sweet and recognizable for kids and will help them embrace their own bedtime activities. While none of this reinvents the wheel, that's not really the point; the familiarity will strike chords in readers, who will thoroughly enjoy knowing the protagonist is going through the same loving routine that they are. The dad presents white and the mom has brown skin and wavy black hair, making this a mirror for a lot of interracial families.A calm, quiet book that children will find delightful, enjoying the repetition and seeing themselves through the eyes of a book. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
