Bedtime at Bessie and Lil's

Bedtime at Bessie and Lil's
by Julie Sternberg; illus. by Adam Gudeon
32 pages; ages 3-7
Boyds Mills Press, 2015

theme: bedtime, family

opening: It was bedtime at Bessie and Lil's. Lil was snug in her mother's lap. Bessie practiced her headstands.

Just another normal night, with the mother rabbit trying to read her favorite bedtime book and Bessie and Lil just so full of shenanigans...

What I like about this book: the shenanigans! First Bessie. Then Lil. Popping up like prairie dogs."Look at me! I'm skipping!" Looking for fireflies. Looking at the moon. Doing everything but settling down for the night. Boy! Doesn't this sound like a familiar tale?

I love the illustrations, too - especially that Bessie and Lil, though they are siblings and both are bunnies, have ears as individual as their personalities. I like Bessie's striped pajamas and Lil's stuffed carrot and the way they hang off the bed instead of snuggling under their blankets.

Beyond the Book: it's bunny season here in the temperate forest and they are hopping all over the place. They hop across my road and into the tall grass. But they don't wear pajamas and they don't read bedtime stories.

Do you have a bedtime ritual? Some people drink hot cocoa and listen to stories. Some people go outside and say goodnight to the stars. What do you do?

Have a bunny sleepover. Invite all your stuffed animals to a bedtime party and dress them up in pj's. Then read them goodnight stories.

Do some Bedtime Math. Most bunnies are cute and small. But not Ralph. Hop on over to Bedtime Math for a big bunny problem - and plenty more after you've solved that one. (just click on the Fun Nightly Math button)

Plant some Rainbow Carrots. They really do grow in a rainbow of colors: red, orange, melon, yellow white, and even purple! But make sure you keep the bunnies out of your garden!


Today is PPBF (perfect picture book Friday), an event in which bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. She keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books.  Review copy from the publisher.