A cute story to read with little ones. I loved the illustrations and they really added to the story. The children I read to got to where they could read parts of it as well. ( )

The premise of the children's picture book I Don't Want to Go to Sleep appealed to me. As a parent, that refrain is one I've heard from my daughters before.

In this book, a brother and sister declare that they're not ready for bed. The moon outside their window strikes up a conversation with them to find out why. When he learns they are resisting sleep because they don't want to miss out on anything, he starts listing off all the imaginative adventures they could encounter in their dreams, and the majority of these pages are filled with illustrations showing each possibility. Perhaps the siblings are fending off nose-picking zombies or performing a concert for the world from the clouds, and so on. By the close of the book, the moon realizes at some point the children have climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.

I have encountered other picture books with a similar premise of sleep-resisting children and was curious how this one would measure up. Unfortunately, it didn't grip me. The illustrations didn't draw me in, and I struggled to suspend disbelief. I love imaginative accounts and would have no problem playing along with a charming conversation taking place between a moon and a pair of children, but I need a little more to go off of. For instance, why aren't the children surprised when the moon suddenly appears at their window and starts talking? That was never addressed. I also recognize that there can't be an abundance of character development or plot in a picture book, but there's no tension in this story, just the initial problem of children not wanting to sleep, only succumbing because they're seemingly bored by the moon droning on.

For the parent who is reading a book like this with my children, I want to have a chance to talk about the lessons that are (or can be) learned. The book would have been more powerful had the children finished their conversation with the moon, perhaps cutting him off so they can rush to bed to begin any number of these adventures because they are convinced that the moon is right. But as it rests, it's unclear if the two children have learned a lesson, or if the moon will have to come up with new scenarios every night. I would have preferred a tidier close.

Overall, it's a harmless book, one that my children might be entertained by, but I don't see it becoming a favorite of theirs or mine.

(I received a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.) ( )

I admit to not being the most qualified critic of books for young children as I have none of my own and limited experience with anyone else’s. However, we do have a three-year-old grandnephew so I decided I should expand my horizons and request this title from the Early Reviewers list on LibraryThing. The illustrations are bright and cheerful and I really liked the “You’ll get to dream!” concept. While the age recommendation on Amazon was “Kindergarten – 6”, some of the dream scenarios may be a little too advanced for children at the lower end of that range.

I received a free copy of the electronic version in exchange for a review. ( )

Two children don't want to go to sleep, but the moon shows them many reasons they should.
My toddler was captivated by the vibrant illustrations and dreamy ideas!
Pdf copy received from the publisher as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program, and looking forward to it coming out in a physical book! ( )

This was a fun bedtime story to read. A different perspective, about the endless imaginary adventures you can have by going to sleep, is sweetly revealed to children who think they would rather stay awake all night and have fun. The author truly knows his audience. A story that can be appreciated by children of all ages, with perfect timing, length and style. This bedtime story has become one of my favourites. ( )