Don't You Know It's Bedtime?

Peacock, Lou and Arrhenius, Ingela P. (illustrator) 

Don't You Know It's Bedtime?

September 2, 2025 by Nosy Crow

Copy provided by Edelweiss Plus

Bear has a very set bedtime routine that involves having a snack, brushing his teeth, and putting on his pajamas. He's all ready to snuggle down for the night when there is a knock at the door. We can lift the flap to reveal mouse standing on the other side of the door. She's hungry, but Bear has an extra banana. There's another knock on the door, though, and Crocodile needs a new toothbrush! Bear helps him out, too, and the three are ready for bed when Lion knocks on the door because he has outgrown his pajamas! Luckily, he and bear are the same size. Surely everyone is ready to be tucked in now, but Owl shows up at the door on his way to band practice. Will the friends ever get to sleep? Luckily, Owl plays a soft, sleepy tune as the friends return to their houses and snuggle down in their own beds until the next morning. 

There are a lot of books about reluctant sleepers, like Alves' Time for Bed, Little Owls, Birkett's Bedtime is Boring, Strasser's So Tired, So Wide Awake, and Cummins' Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover, so I was glad to see that Bear has a well established routine and doesn't mind turning in; there are just things getting in his way! McKinlay's How to Make a Bedtime also has a good strategy for preparing a nighttime ritual. 

The artwork is very bright, and the animals are composed of simple shapes, somewhat reminiscent of Frank Asch's artwork. The text is predictable, and it's fun for young readers to lift the flap and see who is on the other side of the door. I liked the parallels of the animals asking for help with the same sort of tasks that Bear has just completed, and the Owl showing up to serenade everyone is a nice surprise. 

I can see this becoming a favorite bedtime story for little ones, and the doors are sturdy enough to hold up to repeated readings. 

Of course, I always have questions about picture books. Do bears and lions really wear the same size pajamas? Don't crodiles have birds that clean their teeth? Doesn't Mouse have any snacks in her house? And she's going to knock on Bear's door? This sort of thinking can lead to some interesting story times, even BEFORE my grandson can talk!