27. How To Make a Bedtime

  

27. How To Make a Bedtime. Meg McKinlay. Illustrated by Karen Blair. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, picture book, bedtime books]

First sentence: When the sun's light is fading
and night's on the rise,
it's time to start yawning
your sleepy goodbyes.
Time for snuggling and snoozing
and slumbering now.
Time for making your bedtime,
and I'll show you how.

Premise/plot: On the surface, this looks like your typical, super-cozy, predictable bedtime story book to share with the little ones in your life. On the surface. In many ways it is indeed just that. However, the 'parent' is a bear and the 'child' is, well, human. I would have personally preferred both to be bears OR both to be human. Perhaps it is a silly element that is supposed to be super delightful and charming? 

The parent and child go through a bedtime routine--that's it.

My thoughts: I mostly enjoyed the narrative. It has a certain delightful playfulness in terms of language. 'Rosily warm,' 'deliciously dry,' 'cloud-soft pajamas,' 'pillow-peeking,' 'purpling sighs,' etc. I think the narrative may prove lyrical and soothing--just the right sort of book to read aloud. (Only parents who have read this one aloud to their little ones could say definitely one way or another.)

What I personally did not quite like is the random BOLDING of certain words in the text. Like WHY. Seriously WHY. Are parents supposed to put emphasis on those words? Are they hints as to when to take a breath? When to pause? Do they serve any purpose whatsoever except to be NOT REGULAR.

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers