Sleepy Bird

by Jeremy Tankard, Jeremy Tankard (Illustrator)

Overview

It is bedtime. . . . Are you sleepy?

Bird's friends are settling in for the night.But Bird is not tired. His wings want to flap.His legs want to run. All of him wants to play!When will he ever go to sleep?!Spirited kids and exhausted parents will laugh their way to happy dreams in this hilarious and relatable take on bedtime featuring the lovablehero of Grumpy Bird, Boo Hoo Bird, andHungry Bird.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338157857
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	05/08/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	486,921
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Jeremy Tankard is the creator of the Los Angeles Times Favorite Book Grumpy Bird and its companions Boo Hoo Bird, Hungry Bird, and Sleepy Bird, and the illustrator of several acclaimed picture books, including Rachel Vail’s Piggy Bunny and David LaRochelle’s It's a Tiger!. The beloved Bird books are bestsellers in Tankard’s native Canada. He lives in Vancouver with his wife and two children.

Editorial Reviews

05/14/2018
In this fourth outing, it’s bedtime, and Bird—blue and bean-shaped, with a cockatoo-like crest—isn’t ready to say goodnight yet. As Bird attempts to find friends to join him in staying gloriously and defiantly wide-awake, he’s disappointed: “Fox was too sleepy to play. So Bird went to find Beaver. ‘It’s bedtime, Bird,’ said Beaver.” Tankard’s raucous digital artwork provides visual depth through thick, black outlines and backgrounds filled with bright, smoky textures and scraggly lines. A meta element comes in the form of the bedtime stories the animal friends are reading: the very book they are currently in, as well as previous books in the series. Bird eventually sleeps, but not for long—much to the chagrin of his weary friends, who come to serve as stand-ins for sleep-deprived parents. Ages 3–5. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Sleepy Bird:"Caregivers faced with little ones who just won't settle down for the night may find that this title offers some pointers–and some hope." — Kirkus Review"A great bedtime story and fun read-aloud." — School Library Journal"Tankard's raucous digital artwork provides visual depth through thick, black outlines and backgrounds filled with bright, smoky textures." — Publishers WeeklyPraise for Hungry Bird:"Bird is over-the-top, self-absorbed, melodramatic, and hilarious... A delightful romp." — Kirkus Reviews"Picky eaters will be laughing along and trying new things in no time with this funny installment of Bird and friends. A recommended purchase perfect for storytime or small group sharing that will be in high demand." — School Library Journal"Once again, Tankard draws a lot of humor from the disconnect between the chunky-cute looks of his woodland cast and the angry depths of his rosy-cheeked hero." — Publishers WeeklyPraise for Boo Hoo Bird:"Mood master Jeremy Tankard succeeds again." — Time Out New York"Like Mo Willems... Tankard takes the worldview of the toddler seriously while appreciating its humor. He has distilled his insight into the toddler mind into dramas that are the pint-size equivalent of Shakespeare." — The Los Angeles Times"Bet high on this becoming another storytime winner, just like its predecessor." — Booklist"Distinctive." — Horn Book"Playful pacing and taut expressions capture the humor and vulnerability of Bird and his gang. This selection will resonate." — Kirkus Reviews"With its blend of realism and exaggeration, condolence and humor, this may well turn a sympathetic 'Boo hoo hoo!' into a family standby in times of bonkitude." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksPraise for Grumpy Bird:An LA Times Favorite Book of 2007"Comic perfection." — The Wall Street Journal"Hilarious." — The Los Angeles Times"Tankard's illustrations alone will cheer up any bad mood." — Parent & Child Magazine, Teachers' Picks, April 2007"A way out of a bad mood for surly birds, whatever their species." — Publishers Weekly"Whimsical and funny." — Kirkus Reviews"A good addition to storytimes." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher

05/01/2018
PreS-Gr 2—Tankard's moody blue bird character is back for another adventure. It is bedtime, but Bird is not tired and he wanders around interrupting his lovable friends just as they are all trying to fall asleep. Bird gets angry because none of his friends will play with him—even nocturnal Raccoon who prefers to rest quietly and will not play. In true Grumpy Bird style, the protagonist storms off and cries until his loyal friends come to his rescue and read him a story. They also share their stuffed toys, sing him a song, tuck him in, and count sleep until the drowsy bird finally falls asleep. In a fun twist of an ending, just when the group settles down for a big rest, their friend Bird is up wanting to play again. This book continues Tankard's bold ink drawings and vivid digital coloring, with images of the past Bird books incorporated into the design. VERDICT A great bedtime story and fun read-aloud.—Christina Pesiri, Michael F. Stokes Elementary School Library, Island Trees-Levittown NY

School Library Journal

2018-03-04
Bird is anything but ready for bed in his latest adventure.Bird's wide-open eyes on the title page set up the story's arc. It is bedtime, but "Bird was not ready to go to sleep." His friends offer familiar comforts: a "blankie," a book (previous titles about Bird), a stuffed animal (a cat!), and a lullaby. Sheep even offers to be counted. Bird is not at all receptive, but all his walking about does make him tired and weepy. His friends come running to his side with all their bedtime rituals that were previously rejected out of hand. And they do the job—albeit with a fun twist to end the tale. In past titles, Bird was grumpy (Grumpy Bird, 2007), injured (Boo Hoo Bird, 2009), and hungry (Hungry Bird, 2016). The familiar palette, rendered in ink and digital media, presents Bird in an intense shade of blue outlined in thick black strokes. His animal friends are similarly depicted in oranges, yellows, and reds. All stand out against a busy blue nighttime background.Caregivers faced with little ones who just won't settle down for the night may find that this title offers some pointers—and some hope. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews