Boom! Boom! Boom!

March 15, 2013
A nighttime thunderstorm results in a crowded bed when a little boy welcomes his pets to snuggle up with him and his teddy bear in this cumulative, rhyming story that is reminiscent of The Napping House but falters a bit in its pacing. As the storm begins, the boy is reading his book when his dog jumps into bed for some comfort as the thunder booms outside. Then a kitten, a guinea pig, a frog, a parrot and even a snake cram themselves into the boy's tiny bed. There's clearly no room when the boy's sister demands to clamber in as well, and despite her brother's protestations, she "jump[s] in with elbows flying," and the bed breaks. In a rather abrupt ending, the other characters all disperse without notice, and the boy snuggles into his broken bed with only his teddy bear and book as the moon and stars shine in a clear night's sky outside of the window. The quickness of the page turn from the bed breaking to this resolution throws off the pacing of the story, and the curious absence of any parents or other adult caregivers in the story may give some children who are familiar with fears about thunderstorms pause, despite the sweet softness and gentle palette of the illustrations. A good but not great good-night picture book. (Picture book. 2-6)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 15, 2013
Preschool-K A storm rages outdoors as a boy goes to bed with his teddy bear. With each flash of lightning and boom of thunder, another household pet arrives at his bedside, hoping to join him. He welcomes the dog, the cat, and the guinea pig, but after the frog, the parrot, and the snake squeeze in, it's a bit too snug. When his sister arrives, the boy turns her down. She leaps onto the bed, causing all kinds of chaos before bringing this satisfying picture book to a fitting conclusion. Reminiscent of the Ukrainian folktale in which animals squeeze into a mitten, the story features tension that builds gradually until it suddenly releases. The characters' expressions and the furniture's upheaval visually reflect the narrative dynamics, but the gentle colors, soft textures, and rounded forms of the illustrations create a cozy atmosphere throughout the book. Told in rhyme and including thunderous sound effects, this would be a reassuring bedtime story on a dark and stormy night.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)