Review: A Cheerful Bedtime Book That Works
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 25, 2013
Gilbert doesn't want to go to bed, even though he is getting sleepier and sleepier. He keeps thinking of all of the fun playtime things he could be doing. His parents convince him that he could go to sleep and dream exciting dreams about the same activities, and he ends up looking forward to going to sleep.Here's the thing. Most of the Kindle freebies for little readers that I have read are just awkward or odd or idiosyncratic enough that I have been reluctant to select them for bedtime reading. Some authors have an odd idea of what is funny, (at least to my mind), or put in beside the point snarky comments, or just strike an odd or saccharine or sometimes even creepy chord when describing parents or children. Not so with this book. Gilbert is a fine kid. Mom and Dad are patient and practical. What Gilbert likes to play at, (being a pilot or a builder or a pirate), is normal and relatable. His reluctance to go to bed even when tired is something that everyone can recognize and the calm resolution works. The vocabulary is a little advanced, but readable by a youngster with a little help. The story is set up in little mini-chapters, almost like captions to the illustrations, so parents and kids can easily take turns reading, or stop at convenient points.As a bonus, the illustrations actually are charming. Gilbert the cat looks like a friendly character and helps sell the story. As a further bonus, I read this on a Kindle touch, which is not in color, and the illustrations still worked in black and white.So, if you would like something on your Kindle for a little reader this is worth looking at.Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.