Just+Go+to+Bed



Review by: Kayla Dickinson

Title: Just Go to Bed Author: Mercer Mayer Illustrator: Mercer Mayer Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (April 23, 2001) Format: Paperback $3.59 (Amazon) ISBN: 9780307119407 Reading level: 3-7 Years Pages: 24 Pages Language: English

Summary: Just Go to Bed by Mercer Mayer tells the story of a young boy who tries his best to avoid going to bed. In the beginning of the book the boy is playing cowboy, when his dad interrupts and tells him to get ready for bed. When the father finds the boy playing in his room, he tells him to get into the bathtub. The boy plays in the bathtub and the father tells him to put on his robe and have a snack. While eating his snack the boy pretends to be a zookeeper feeding his animals. The dad tells him to put on his pajamas. Once in his pajamas the boy pretends to be a bunny and hops around his room. The dad tells him one last time to go to bed, and finally the boy listens.

Book Review: Just Go to Bed is a fun book for young children to utilize when they are learning how to read. The language is simple and easy, which is perfect for children who are just starting to read. The illustrations are imaginative and they show the boy pretending to be a train conductor, an astronaut, a general, and more. Young children will find the different scenarios comical. They will also be able to relate to being told to go to bed by their parents. It’s often a long process to get young children in the bed, and Mercer Mayer displays that process perfectly.

About the Author: Mercer Mayer was born in Little Rock Arkansas in 1943. As a child he enjoyed hunting reptiles in the swamps of his backyard. When he was thirteen Mercer’s family moved to Hawaii. Mercer attended the Honolulu Academy of Arts and later participated in the Art Students League in New York City. He began writing and illustrating children’s books in 1966. Mercer Mayer has published over 300 different titles. Mercer once said, “Most of my books are about things that happened to me when I was a little kid.” Together Mercer and his wife Gina write the Little Critter stories. Mercer currently lives in Connecticut.

Literary Element Analysis: Theme- The theme in this story is not listening to your parents. In this book the main character is told to go to bed numerous times by his father. He tries his hardest to avoid the bed, he continues to play and pretend to take on a variety of occupations. This theme is relatable for young children who would rather stay up and play when their parents tell them to go to bed. Towards the end of the story the main character puts on his bunny pajamas, but when his father tells him to go to bed he replies, “but bunnies don’t sleep in beds.” Children will find this character comical and relatable. The father then puts on a more serious tone and demands that the main character finally get in bed. The young boy listens, and when he gets into bed he realizes how tired he actually was. This ending is a subtle way of telling children that their parents always know what’s best for them. Parents and children alike can appreciate the comical aspects and the themes in this children’s book.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Arial; font-size: 13.333333333333332px; vertical-align: baseline;">Related Links: [|__http://www.amazon.com/Just-Bed-Little-Critter-Pictureback/dp/0307119408/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1462746514&sr=1-1&keywords=just+go+to+bed+mercer+mayer__]