Get Out of Bed! - Softcover

Opening with a slice-of-life scenario?Amy stays up till the wee morning hours watching TV and then cannot wake up for school?this paper-over-board book by the author of Love You Forever takes a preposterous twist. Amy's brother, father and mother, unable to rouse the sleepyhead and unable to stay home with her, carry her bed to school and deposit it (and her) in her classroom. The Daniels, who previously collaborated with Munsch for Good Families Don't, squeeze the humor out of this outlandish situation with rowdy cartoon pictures populated by near-caricatures. As the Daniels have it, Amy's classmates pile onto her bed during reading period (each with a copy of this book, opened to the very page its readers are on); use her as a table at lunch and as home plate during a recess ball game; and paint designs on her headboard, pillows and face in art class. After bounding out of bed the next day, the well-rested gal arrives at school to discover that her classroom is filled with beds, hammocks and sleeping bags... all inhabited by kids, a sight to which the illustrators do comic justice. This light book may not be one youngsters will feel compelled to return to repeatedly, yet it is punchy slapstick fun. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Kindergarten-Grade 4-After staying up to watch "The Late, Late Show, The Late, Late, Late, Show, and The Early, Early, Early, Early Show," Amy falls so firmly asleep that her family can't get her up for school-so they drop her off still in bed. Having snored through arithmetic, reading, lunch, recess, and the trip home, Amy wakes, at last, the following morning, bright-eyed and starving, talking about the unusual dreams she had. As usual in a story by this author, repetitive structure creates an invitation to chime in, and few children will be able to resist the temptation to saw logs along with Amy as her brother, her parents, her dog, and even the school principal fruitlessly try to rouse her. Rumpled, energetic figures crowd the watercolor illustrations, providing an appropriately chaotic visual counterpart to the verbal rush and tumble. The concluding twist-Amy saunters into her classroom to find everyone but the reproachful teacher sacked out and buzzing away-makes a relatively weak punch line, but it's an obvious final cue for any group of young listeners. Another crowd pleaser from this popular author.
John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.