Todd Parr is quite popular. He’s published dozens of books, and sold millions of copies.
I’ve always liked his vivid, colorful titles, but I hadn’t dipped in to his books much. So I chose several at random and put them on hold at my library. They’ve started to arrive. Today I’m talking about his 2021 board book The Bedtime Book. The images are great. Seriously. Take a look at the cover below. They are bright and inviting. They are like professionally designed versions of kids’ drawing–very welcoming.
The topic of this book is universal: everyone goes to bed, and all kids face the challenge of not being ready for bed that opens this book. Many will recognize the specific distractions individual animals face. Like the dog, they may need to potty. Like the elephant, they might hear something in the closet. Each individual challenge is relatable.
The book does not form a cohesive whole, though. There’s no clear reason why the narwhal is on the page she is, or the penguins. I’m not clear why the book stops where it does.
But the images? Great.
