FLUBBY WILL NOT GO TO SLEEP

Flubby is back—but not to sleep.

What child hasn’t resisted sleep at one time or another? So it will make sense to readers that when Flubby gets a new bed, the fussy feline doesn’t want to sleep in it. Using the repetitive pattern of successful books for beginning readers, Flubby’s child-owner tries to solve Flubby’s insomnia problem four different ways, offering a new pillow, a warm blanket, a lullaby, and a bedtime snack—all to no avail. In typical cat fashion, the contrary cat finds his way back onto the child’s bed with a “Meow.” A few deft pen strokes convey both cat’s and child’s emotions and the child’s increasing frustration. Morris uses two spreads for each episode, with one page divided into two panels. At last Flubby solves the problem on his own, claiming the child’s stuffed animal to cuddle with in the dark. A culminating repetition of all the things “Flubby did not need” provides vocabulary review and leads to the satisfying conclusion: “Flubby just needed a friend.” The muted palette of grayish-brown, blue, green, and orange is well-suited for the bedtime setting. The text’s simple declarative sentences and repeated phrases use fewer than 50 words, almost guaranteeing success for new readers. Flubby’s child-owner is not gendered and has wavy brown hair and skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

No flubs for this cat and kid. Just satisfying bedtime reading.