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Bertie at Bedtime
by Marcus Pfister
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Synopsis

The acclaimed creator of THE RAINBOW FISH series returns with Bertie, an irrepressible hippo who's not quite ready for bed. Bertie might wear his daddy out before he's actually ready for sleep.

Children's Literature

From suppertime to bedtime, Bertie keeps Daddy on his toes. Dad attempts to cajole Bertie into eating his supper and going to sleep. In between, he plays with Bertie, gives him a bath and has him brush his teeth. Bedtime is the most challenging, however, for procrastinating Bertie. In fact, the joke is on Daddy, who falls asleep before his son! Young children will see themselves in Bertie's actions and reactions to his father's requests. Parents will recognize the stalling tactics of the very young. There is plenty of humor and a great deal of warmth in the illustrations. Father and son delight in one another's company. Indeed, some adults may feel that Dad is far too lenient with Bertie. The drawings in which we see the hippos' legs, feet and toes just make me want to laugh. The brief text makes this suitable for young children. While it is doubtless best as a bedtime read, it is also a good choice for a preschool story hour about bedtime or daddies. Reviewer: Sharon Salluzzo

School Library Journal

PreS-K- This is not a lull-your-child-to-bed picture book. On the contrary, it is something of a manual on how to tire out parents. Bertie is an engaging and lively hippo whose father tries, and tries again, to usher him toward sleep. The relationship between parent and son seems to be a cheerful imbalance of power, with Daddy making suggestions and Bertie making demands. "Now it's time for bed," says Daddy after a game of hide-and-seek. "Not yet,' says Bertie. 'First a story.'" After reading three, Daddy yawns. "'Off to bed now,' he says. "'Not yet,' says Bertie. 'First let's dance.'" Then, of course, Bertie wants a glass of water and to go to the potty, where he sits and looks through a pile of books. Guess who falls asleep first? The illustrations are sweet, funny, and colorful. Pfister uses the same floral design on walls, carpets, furniture, and Bertie's shorts, in different and pleasing color combinations. Children will enjoy this story, but beware of reading it aloud at bedtime; it could give youngsters some really fatiguing ideas. Bertie's last words to his snoozing father are, "Good night, Daddy.... Tomorrow we can play some more."-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

Kirkus Reviews

Bertie the Hippo wants Daddy to play. Daddy promises to do so after supper. Bertie's not the most dedicated eater, but he makes it through. Daddy has Bertie brush and wash before playing chase (which ends in the tub with bubbles and ducky). After hide-and-seek, Daddy tries to get Bertie into bed again. Bertie needs storytime. Daddy tries again after three books, but a dance, a glass of water, a trip to the potty and a song all get squeezed in before bed . . . and then Bertie's not the one who nods off. Prolific Swiss father of Rainbow Fish Pfister returns to the bedtime-book format with this outing. The watercolors are vibrant, with heavy lines in the vein of Holey Moley (2006) rather than the feathery washes of the Hopper and Penguin Pete books. Mercifully, there are no holograms here, but why doesn't Daddy Hippo wear any clothes? Gentle, sweet and endearing, but hardly unique. (Picture book. 3-6)