Bunny Should Be Sleeping

by Amy Hest (Author) Renata Liwska (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

Bunny can't sleep because Dad forgot to check on him, so he sets out to check on Dad.

Bunny should be sleeping, but instead, he is waiting for Dad to come check on him. Dad always checks on him, but tonight, Dad is late. Soon Dad will come. He will come in the night to check on his little Bunny. Come on, Dad! Check on me, check on me, check on me! Bunny can't wait anymore-- he needs his dad!

Slipping out of bed, Bunny packs a wagon of everything Dad might need: some water, a blanket, a snack, and their favorite book to share. Down the hall and through the dark, Bunny finds Dad fast asleep, oblivious to all the supplies Bunny offers him. At last, Bunny resorts to a tap on the nose to wake Dad up. Dad checks on Bunny, and Bunny checks on Dad, who is happy to see him, if still groggy. They read their special book, and all is right with the world again.

Bestselling author Amy Hest teams up with Renata Liwska, illustrator of Deborah Underwood's The Quiet Book, for a bedtime book as adorable and warm as two sleepy bunnies. Sure to soothe children dubious about staying in their rooms alone at night, Bunny Should Be Sleeping reminds young readers that they are safe and loved even when the house is dark and quiet.

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$18.99

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Kirkus

Starred Review
 A snuggly, soothing bedtime read.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

On a winter night, Bunny's awake in bed, his surroundings soft and cozy: "Bunny's toes are warm. His blanket is soft, and the moon hovers over the pond." He's waiting for his father, who "will come in the night to check on his little Bunny." The youth waits until he can't any longer ("He just needs his dad!"), and Liwska (Winter: A Solstice Story) shows in tranquil digitally created spreads Bunny placing a thermos of water, a blanket and cookie, and the duo's favorite book in a wagon and setting off for Dad's room. There, he enjoys the blanket, cookie, and water himself before tapping Dad on the nose. "You forgot to check on me," Bunny says. "So, here I am." "Indeed," Dad replies, before holding out his arms. "Sometimes a dad just needs his little bunny," whispers Dad. "Indeed," Bunny replies. Back in Bunny's room, the two cuddle as they share the book. In yearning text, Hest (Sometimes It's Nice to Be Alone) captures the way time can move slowly when someone's on their own, the way an attentive presence can meet needs, and the sense that Bunny is learning to love well by mirroring Dad's words and actions: "Dad checks on Bunny. Bunny checks on Dad." Ages 4-8. (Mar.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Toddler-PreS--Hest (Kiss Good Night) and Liwska (The Quiet Book) team up to create the ideal bedtime book for young readers. Bunny slides out of his crib in the middle of the night to check on his dad, because his dad forgot to check on him. He gathers everything his dad will need (water, blanket, cookie, and "their special favorite book with so many favorite pictures") in a wagon he then pulls down the hall. The elder bunny is eventually awakened and the pair head back to the crib where the last page depicts the pair cuddled cozily together by the light of the moon. The soft and simple prose combined with muted pastel illustrations will reassure little ones that they are safe at night, even when alone. Parents and caregivers will enjoy the tender care shown to the elder bunny, and perhaps a conversation about how members of a family tend to one another may come next. VERDICT As cozy as the snuggle between a toddler and caregiver, this book should be on all picture bookshelves.--Carrie Voliva

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

★ "Quiet and reassuring, though laced with humor, the book strikes the perfect tone for bedtime reading, exuding comfort and the joy to be found in nightly routines."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

★ " In yearning text, Hest (Sometimes It's Nice to Be Alone) captures the way time can move slowly when someone's on their own, the way an attentive presence can meet needs, and the sense that Bunny is learning to love well by mirroring Dad's words and actions."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Amy Hest
Amy Hest's many acclaimed children's books include the BUNNY SHOULD BE SLEEPING, New York Times bestseller KISS GOOD NIGHT, and SOMETIMES IT'S NICE TO BE ALONE. A three-time winner of the prestigious Christopher Award, she lives in New York City.

Erin Stead is the illustrator of many picture books, including the Caldecott Medal-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee, If You Want to See a Whale, The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles, and The Sun is Late and So is the Farmer. She lives in northern Michigan with her husband, author/illustrator Philip Stead.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780823453412
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Neal Porter Books
Publication date
March 05, 2024
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV002210 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Rabbits
JUV010000 - Juvenile Fiction | Bedtime & Dreams
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Library of Congress categories
Rabbits
Bedtime
Fathers and sons
Picture books
Animal fiction

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