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I Just Want to Say Good Night cover art

I Just Want to Say Good Night

By: Rachel Isadora
Narrated by: Nene Nwoko
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Publisher's Summary

A delightful bedtime tale by Caldecott Honor-winner Rachel Isadora, set on the African plains. 

The sun has set and the moon is rising, and that means it’s bedtime. But not if Lala has a say—because she’s not ready to go to sleep! First she needs to say good night to the cat. And the goat. And the chickens. And, and, and . . . Lala’s adorable stalling strategy will ring true for all parents whose little ones aren’t ready to say goodbye to the day—and all will appreciate the wonderful culmination to the bedtime ritual.

©2022 Rachel Isadora (P)2022 Listening Library

Critic Reviews

“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)

“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)

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