Playtime?

March 1, 2016
How do you get a chimp to sleep? An appealing towheaded white child in striped pajamas negotiates for bedtime with a wide-eyed pet chimp in this humorous, straightforward, near-wordless story. Colorful pictures with just the right amount of detail energetically depict these charming characters as they tease, scold, and frolic. Young children will delight at the assignment of roles--it's the child who says it's time to sleep--as the chimp mischievously insists on staying up to play with toys, juggle, and even hang upside down. The minimal vocabulary--the text includes only the words "bedtime" and "playtime" with varying punctuation--makes this a nice selection for very young listeners who can explore the narrative playing out in the textured mixed-media illustrations, which feature watercolor, collage, and digital tweaking. Now it's looking like this chimp may never get to sleep! And yet...even as the exasperated child repeatedly informs the simian that it's time to doze, a toy proves to be too tempting, and the two throw caution to the wind for a happy game of catch. Turns out that's just what the chimp needed to get ready for bed--or so it seems! A pleasant and action-filled going-to-sleep book, this selection may prove the perfect antidote for a sleepless night. A simple, fun-filled goodnight book. (Picture book. 2-4)

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March 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Mack opens with a single word, and it's not playtime. "Bedtime," says a boy in blue-striped pajamas to a wide-awake, toy-laden gorilla. As the boy leaves, his tucked-in friend opens one eye and grins. While the gorilla juggles alphabet cubes under the purple blanket in his dark room, the title-and the only other word in the book-reemerges: PLAYTIME. The boy races in, shushing and whispering, "Bedtime. Bedtime." The exchange intensifies as the room alternates between dim and bright, with the gorilla ever more frenetic and the boy more nettled. Will there be recriminations, bitterness, even war? Luckily, a think-outside-the-box idea resolves the conflict...or does it? Children will adore the subtleties that the two-word story contains. Mack, who gave us the four-word masterpiece Good News Bad News and the two-letter story Ah Ha! (both 2010, Chronicle), pulls out all the stops in his latest illustrations. Using collage, mixed media, pencil, watercolor, and some prestidigitation, he makes the walls look like fuzzy blankets, with different patterns on every page. The two characters are expressive, kinetic, and always likable. The gorilla's naughty, sneaky smile is a thing of beauty. The author's brilliant decision to put a child in the parent's role may help those enduring bedtime to empathize a little bit with those enforcing it. VERDICT Just try saving this book for evening! Both younger and older readers will be looking and laughing throughout the day.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2016
Preschool-K *Starred Review* Mack's latest is a simple, well-crafted bedtime story with a twist. Children who love having the tables turned will be delighted, and the fact that Mack primarily uses only two words (playtime and bedtime) makes it easy for even young children to read along. A young child and a mischievousbut lovablegorilla are at loggerheads. The child insists on bedtime, and the gorilla on playtime. The oversized gorilla's face is dominated by large eyes never ready to close and a mouth that loves to grin. He's not naughty, just persistent. His colorful toys and playtime antics are true to a child's world (well, maybe not swinging upside down on the ceiling fan), and his watchword, PLAYTIME, is splashed across the page with letters as lively as he is, keeping the energy high. The child's delight in finally putting his pal to sleep (with a clever ploy) is satisfying for all. Young readers will enjoy watching a child take on the role of a parent, and sharing this book will be a delight. Multiple readings are sure to be demanded before bedtime finally comes. Pair with How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? (2000), by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague, for another variant on bedtime difficulties with a happy resolution.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)