Review by Booklist Review
It's dark outside, but a small child is awake. Repeatedly the child is told, "You wake up too early," but the parents seem resigned rather than angry. Being quiet so as not to wake the baby, Daddy takes the child downstairs. The child is ready to go, hurrying down the hall and gathering up the dogs. With mugs of coffee and of milk, they go outside in the quiet morning, the moon and stars still visible. As the dark-blue colors lighten, birds start to sing and the wind barely blows. The child observes that while some people think it is too early, it is actually just the right time--to see the sunrise. Unique illustrations are first drawn, then cut out, layered with backgrounds, and photographed. The child knows that the busyness of the day will soon take over, but for this moment, the world is calm and peaceful. The book ends with the day's beginning, as Mama and the baby wake and join the rest of the family outside to bask in the early-morning sun.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In short, conversational verse lines, Ericson (the Dill & Bizzy series) and MacKay (In the Clouds) chronicle a morning in the house of a young early riser. Standing in their parents' bedroom doorway holding a stuffie, a child portrayed with light brown skin, curly hair, and starred pajamas rouses the adults. "Shhhh, don't wake the baby," the mother says, offering sleepy smooches; "Too early," the father groans, before grabbing his robe and shuffling downstairs. Attentive to noises and sensations ("Burble burble goes the coffee pot. Beep beep"), the text captures warmth and affection as father and child head for the front porch, where the moon still shines bright: "Snuggle in, but watch your elbows./ (Careful not to bump the coffee!)." Layered images in shadowy blue hues gradually illuminate, exploring the way the first faint light of dawn steadily grows brighter, changing from dark blues to pinks and, finally, golden yellow. Images of the closely cuddled duo make it clear that though the father grumbles ("You sure do wake up early"), sunrise and a shooting star--and fleeting one-on-one time--represent a gift in the ordinary moments before a day's "rush rush." Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. Illustrator's agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Jr./Folio Literary. (Nov.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--A young child is the first one out of bed, quietly waking up Mama and Daddy from their slumbers. The parents remind the little one not to wake the baby, but there is nothing to fear. The child, like the morning, is tranquil and quiet, just looking for some reassurance and affection. The child and Daddy get some drinks and snuggle on the front porch to enjoy the gentle dawn. While at first it seems as if the child woke too early, it's just in time. The lovely use of color in the illustrations conjures the sense of security and peace that comes with the promise of a new day. The cool blue of predawn shifts to the purples and pinks of sunrise and then to the bright yellow of the emerging sun. The wonderful and familiar details, such as the hallway night light, the half-dozing/half-awake shuffle of the father before the coffee kicks in, and the doggies doing their morning upward and downward stretches, bring the morning to life. Onomatopoeia and descriptive language throughout the text make this a great selection for language arts integration. VERDICT The surprise for listeners or lapsitters that it's not too early after all will bring home this comforting reminder to slow down and enjoy every sweet moment.--Alyssa Annico
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
As the book opens, the child who narrates this atmospheric tale heads straight for Mama and Daddy's bedroom and wakes them up. Both parents then admonish the child not to wake the baby. "You wake up too early," Daddy adds more than once. After Daddy makes coffee, he and the child head outdoors into the chilly pre-dawn to sit on the porch. They marvel at the starry sky in which "the wind is waking" and the father asks, 'Can you find Venus? She's the morning star, like you.'" Fondly, he cradles the child in his lap, as the mountains appear in the growing light. They hear the birds and, from upstairs, the baby waking up. They see a shooting star and then, the book's closing gift, the golden light of the rising sun: "I wake up just in time," the child notes. Ericson's short sentences and soft onomatopoetic flourishes (shhhh, sip, rustle, whooo whooo) bring a soothing rhythm to this story. MacKay's illustrations ("drawn, cut, set up in layers, and photographed with light") capture evocative shadows and the ways in which the rising sun warms and reveals a morning -- as well as the tender, deeply affectionate bond between parent and child. Julie Danielson November/December 2022 p.64(c) Copyright 2022. 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
Rise and shine for a starting-the-day read. Bedtime books abound, but this winning title invites readers into the morning routine of its characters. The child narrator rises before dawn, prompting Daddy to declare, "Too early." Both parents caution, "Shhhh, don't wake the baby." At this point, illustrations are composed of gorgeous blue, gray, and black washes and linework, a palette evoking the still, predawn hour. While Mama stays in bed, Daddy and child pass stretching doggies on their way to the kitchen to make one mug of coffee and another of steamed milk. The pair sit on the porch, with the moon still overhead, snuggling as the world awakens. Readers may notice warm colors beginning to hint at the culminating sunrise that will conclude the book; before that, however, the quiet yet potent text engages other senses by describing rustling leaves, cooing birds, and, finally, the baby crying. Once everyone is up and rushing to ready themselves for the day, the child muses, "It won't feel so early anymore." The early morning stillness is clearly something this new big sibling savors, including when Mama and baby join them outside to enjoy the golden warm sunrise. Mama and the child appear to be people of color; Daddy presents White. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Cozy, sumptuous, and stirring--the perfect way to greet the dawn. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
