Time for Bed, Old House - Hardcover

Bates, Janet Costa

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1536209988 ISBN 13: 9781536209983

Publisher: Candlewick, 2021

Synopsis

At Isaac’s first sleepover, he gets to help Grandpop with a very special routine—putting the house to bed—in a story that’s just right for children visiting a new place, or for adopting a new ritual at home.

Isaac is excited about having a sleepover at Grandpop’s house, but he’s a little nervous about being away from home for the first time. Luckily, his knowing Grandpop tells him it’s not quite time to go to bed yet—first, he needs Isaac’s help in putting the house to bed. Quietly and slowly, they move from room to room, turning out lights and pulling down shades, as Grandpop gently explains the nighttime sounds that Isaac finds unfamiliar. Now it’s time to read the house a bedtime story (Isaac is good at reading the pictures). By the time the house is settled in for the night, Isaac and Grandpop are ready for bed, too. Janet Costa Bates’s tender story and A. G. Ford’s cozy illustrations will have families—and extended families or friends—eager to take a wise Grandpop’s cue and embrace a new nighttime tradition.

About this title

About the Author

Janet Costa Bates is the author of Seaside Dream, illustrated by Lambert Davis, which was named a Lee and Low’s New Voices Honor Book. She lives in Massachusetts, where she and her husband enjoy having their grandchildren visit for sleepovers.

A. G. Ford is a New York Times best-selling children’s book illustrator and recipient of two NAACP Image Awards. His previous picture books include Hello, I’m Johnny Cash by G. Neri, Goal! by Mina Javaherbin, and Desmond and the Very Mean Word by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Abrams. A. G. Ford lives in Frisco, Texas.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 2-There are many ways to get a child ready for bedtime, from a simple story and lights out to other, more serious efforts at creativity. Isaac is excited to spend time with his grandfather, but nervous about sleeping away from home for the first time. Clever Grandpop has the just the right idea to ease the child's fears. He asks him to help put the house to bed first. Although Isaac has little idea what that means, he carefully follows the older man's lead. Together, they walk quietly through the house, enter each room, gently close window shades, and turn off lights to make the old house "dark and cozy." Along the way, Grandpop explained each click, squeak, and creak Isaac hears, telling him, "This old house makes sleepy sounds, just like you." The realistic illustrations of Grandpop's old house, its interior, and the outside landscape make this tale even more tender. The art is as charming and endearing as Isaac and Grandpop's bedtime adventure. VERDICT The rituals of bedtime, as encompassing and timeless as the bonds between generations, elevate a simple tale and make it an essential purchase for every collection.-Maegen Rose, Rye Country Day Sch.,α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2021
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1536209988
• ISBN 13: 9781536209983
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ford A.G.
• Number of pages: 32