I Just Want to Say Good Night

Rachel Isadora (www.rachelisadora.com) received a Caldecott Honor for Ben’s Trumpet, and has written and illustrated numerous other books for children, including several classic tales set in Africa (such as Old Mikamba Had a Farm and The Princess and the Pea), I Hear a Pickle, Bea in the Nutcracker, Bea at Ballet, Jake at Gymnastics, Say Hello!, Peekaboo Morning, and the Lili at Ballet series.

“This gentle title is wholly original and a homage to the classic bedtime story. . . . Universalities, such as a loving family coaxing an adorably stalling child to bed, are also depicted. A charming, soothing bedtime tale that begs to be shared again and again.” —School Library Journal“Isadora revisits the rural African setting of some of her fairy tale retellings in a story spotlighting the age-old phenomenon of bedtime stalling. . . . The repetition gives the story a predictable, lilting cadence that invites children to echo Lala’s good night wishes. . . . Dramatic oil-and-ink artwork offers tender portraits of Lala gently interacting with each animal against a darkening landscape as the sun descends, the moon rises, and shadows emerge.” —Publishers Weekly“The African setting is harmoniously rendered in oils and ink, and, as night falls, the scenes become even richer. Lila, her hair in twisty braids, dressed in a simple shift, is a sweet yet spunky heroine who captures the universal defiance of children at bedtime.” —Booklist “There are some behaviors that span the globe. . . . Preschool-perfect conflict, and the text could not be simpler, giving to Isadora’s illustrations, oil paint and ink, all the drama of sunset on the African plains. The ever-deepening blue of the sky is the backdrop to a rich display of plants and animals, all naturally but boldly hued and anchored by the human forms of Lala and her family and their fellow villagers. A twist at the end . . . is a good gentle joke in its own right but also serves to reinforce the universality of the situation.” —The Horn Book“Bright, expressive spreads. . . . Gentle narrative. Parents and children may find their own protracted bedtime negotiations lovingly reflected in this worthy title.” —School Library Journal