It Simply Can’t Be Bedtime

Bedtime routines get a jolt of silliness and creativity when a dad and daughter face off in this timeless scenario.

When dad says it’s bedtime and his daughter strongly disagrees, her stuffy hilariously comes to her defense.

Lady Pigsworth is quick to point out the many ongoing projects that just can’t be abandoned, the danger of sleeping in a butterfly costume, the alarming spinach stuck in the girl’s teeth, and more. Each over-the-top declaration of why it can’t possibly be bedtime yet leads the group through common bedtime routines in animated and heartwarming scenes--until Lady Pigsworth’s demands reach questionable heights, even to the little girl, so she takes matters into her own hands to get both of them into bed.

Dreamy illustrations and the hilarious Lady Pigsworth make for a perfect read-aloud that will leave any kid content to shut their eyes, at least for a little bit.

PAMELA PAUL is an Opinion columnist at the New York Times and the former editor of The New York Times Book Review. She is the author of eight adult books and Rectangle Time, a book for children. Prior to joining The New York Times, she was a contributor to Time and The Economist, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Vogue.

This is STEVEN SALERNO’s 38th picture book. He wrote and illustrated five and his picture books written by other authors include new Madeline board books, On the Corner of Chocolate Avenue: How Milton Hershey Brought Milk Chocolate to America by Tziporah Cohen (an Amazon.com Editor’s Choice), Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders, andBrothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick (a New York Times Book Review’s Notable Picture Book of the Year). Steven’s illustrations also appear in advertising, magazines, product packaging, and retail graphics. A graduate of Parson School of Design in NYC, he lives and works in Brooklyn. stevensalerno.com