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157th out of 2,254 books
—
3,516 voters
Bedtime for Frances (Frances the Badger)
It may be bedtime for Frances, but that does not mean Frances is ready to go to bed - not by a long shot. First she must have a glass of milk and make certain Mother and Father have each kissed her good night (twice). Then she is ready to imagine there is a tiger in her room, and a giant, and...each time Frances thinks up something new, off she goes to tell her ever-patien...more
Paperback, 32 pages
Published
September 29th 1995
by HarperFestival
(first published January 1st 1948)
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In this story Frances tries out all the classic bedtime avoidance maneuvers. Instead of being fun and relatable it all seemed a bit grating. And I can't help but be disappointed that the 'solution' here was the threat of spanking. Now, even though I am personally against spanking, I am not some PC freak about it. It's not something we do in our house, but I don't really mind it being mentioned in a story. It is, after all, a very real thing and we actually joke around about it a lot. The truth i...more
Oh dear. I remember this book from when I was a child; I loved the pictures. I recently picked it up again and found myself surprised by the content. I don't know if I had just completely forgotten the text/story of Bedtime for Frances, or if my mom glossed over some of it, but it's not a story I'm really comfortable reading my kids now.
Frances is disobedient, thinking up excuse after excuse to get out bed after bedtime. It's kind of "haha, kids do this," the first few times, but as it persists...more
Frances is disobedient, thinking up excuse after excuse to get out bed after bedtime. It's kind of "haha, kids do this," the first few times, but as it persists...more
Sep 01, 2011
Allison W.
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
I wouldn't
Recommended to Allison W. by:
1001 BYMRBYGU
Shelves:
1001-cbymrbygu
I loved the Frances books as a child. She's always up to some mischief that her parents patiently tolerate and she learns from her experiences, growing a little more with each one. However, re-reading this book in 2011, I cannot say that I would recommend it to children today (unless a couple of changes were made to the story).
The first "problem" I ran into was that Frances' father smokes a pipe. When I was a child, my father smoked a pipe and a lot of my friends' fathers smoke pipes. That was t...more
The first "problem" I ran into was that Frances' father smokes a pipe. When I was a child, my father smoked a pipe and a lot of my friends' fathers smoke pipes. That was t...more
On the surface the story and the illustrations are cute, but the underlying philosophy isn't a match for little ones I care for.
I have two problems with the story. First, I would not want my child to ever act in any way like Frances does in this story. I generally pick stories that I want my child to emulate or learn from. I do not want my child to make up excuses to get out of bed. I do not want my child to learn to use their imagination to be scared. There are plenty of things to be scared of...more
I have two problems with the story. First, I would not want my child to ever act in any way like Frances does in this story. I generally pick stories that I want my child to emulate or learn from. I do not want my child to make up excuses to get out of bed. I do not want my child to learn to use their imagination to be scared. There are plenty of things to be scared of...more
My favorite in the delightful series following Francis the Badger, I always marvelled at how easy it was to get my parents to read Bedtime for Francis to me (over and over and over). Clever, funny, charming, and beautifully illustrated with movement and emotion, this book turns out to be as much of a treat for parents as for children. While the young reader enjoys the story for its songs and the imaginative transformations available in the illustrations, the adult reader will chuckle page after...more
The story is about a little raccoon who follows a nightly routine for bed and attempts to put off bedtime as much as she can. Frances the main character seems to get here way, putting off bedtime until her parents teach her that sleeping is a part of her “job” and that she must fall asleep on her own. Frances is a little cute character that demonstrates what the typical child does when they are not ready to go to bed. I liked reading the story because it was really clear cut and I felt that stud...more
So Frances doesn't want to go to bed, and tries every trick in the book to get out of bed. Then she gets scared by a giant, then she gets scared by the idea of a bug coming through a crack in the ceiling, then she gets scared by a moth tapping on the window. You know the only thing more scary than all this? The prospect of getting a spanking from her parents. So she goes to sleep and sleeps til morning.
Reading this to a child who has never yet had sleep issues was a disaster. (What's on the cei...more
Reading this to a child who has never yet had sleep issues was a disaster. (What's on the cei...more
3 likes · like · see review
What a great bedtime book...for adults. I read this and laughed throughout at the depth of the bedtime toolkit Frances had at her disposal to deal with her restlessness and fears. "The giant wants to get me. May I have some cake?" Exactly! This isn't a "aren't kids cute or irritating in the way they procrastinate their bedtime?" Instead, it captures some of what children face in shutting down for the day, including still wanting to be with their parents, be active and be safe. Williams' illustra...more
mama was surprised that the daddy in the book at one point asked Frances if she wanted a spanking. Funny stuff - SO not politically correct!
After loving A Baby Sister for Frances, coming across Bedtime for Frances in the The 20th-Century Children's Book Treasury: Picture Books and Stories to Read Aloud it was requested (quite loudly) that we read it. While part of me felt it was long, it was comic g last after reading six or more other stories so alone it might be quite right. The content is very appropriate for us and our bedtime/naptime struggle. I think we will return. To Frances books often in the next few years.
I loved this book as a child, and am pleased as punch that my kids love it too. We walk around singing the song, "S is for sailboat, T is for tiger, U is for underwear down in the drier" to the same tune my mother set it to so many years ago. Despite having quite a lot of dialogue for a children's book, the story is so engaging that you don't get bored. One of my favorite things about the book is that though the illustrations show some grumpy faces on Dad, he's such a softie at heart for Frances...more
Jul 19, 2008
Matt
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Matt by:
My twins
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
The conversation with my boys after the book was longer than the book. Frances did many things that they are not allowed to and they wanted to know why. They were confused about the order of brushing teeth, eating cake, drinking milk, and getting in bed, as Frances does everything out of the order they are used to. And then Frances keeps getting out of bed and my kids know that's a big no-no. And the father threatens spankings, which just shows how dated this book is.
The illustrations in this book are priceless. There is one in particular, on page 25, that is worth the price of the book . It depicts Frances (a baby badger) waking up her father in the wee hours of the evening. The look on her fathers face could not have been drawn any better. This is a wonderful 'goodnight book' for your kids. The back cover states "The soft humorous pictures of these lovable animals are delightful." -- I completely agree.
1 like · like · see review
May 24, 2009
Dolly
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
parents reading with their children
This is a great story to read to children at bedtime. It validates their fears, yet shows them that there's nothing in the corner after all. It does mention spanking, which could be a turn off to parents, but she doesn't actually get one, and her parents are quite patient with her repeated forays out of her bed. As long as children aren't too susceptible to suggestions of scary things, this book is a fun way to settle down at bedtime.
This book is rather old school (published 1960). It constantly refers to mother and father, when in the present many families do not consist of only a mother or father. Also, this book refers to spanking as a form of punishment, so I do not recommend reading this to a classroom. However this book does some exploration of rhyming, telling time, and the alphabet. The morality of this book is to soothe those who are afraid of the dark.
This review is by Grace, my 5 year old daughter: First it was time for Frances to go to bed. Next, she wanted a drink of milk. Then, Frances went to bed. Then, her mom and dad kissed her. Frances asked her dad several questions. Last, a moth banged against her window with its wings and she said "a moth's job is to thump and bump against the window just like my job is to sleep." I liked that Frances went to sleep at the end.
When my daughter was in second grade, she brought home her book order and told me that this book was, if she could have only one, the book she wanted. We read and enjoyed this cautionary tale for decades, and when I moved from teaching middle school to first grade, this book became a permanent fixture in my classroom. I love Frances, her naughty ways and her penchant for finding songs for every occasion.
Getting my grandkids to bed is sometimes an ordeal ... and I've found that as a grandma it is much harder to use threats. Nowadays spoiling is more my style. But the line has to be drawn somewhere. Reading this to Dylan (8) and Emily (5) was a lot of fun. They related on all levels to Frances and expressed their own fears of the dark and concerns for strange noises outside. We live in the country and coyotes are definitely more intimidating than a moth.
I thought papa badger's patience was comme...more
I thought papa badger's patience was comme...more
Oh my goodness! We picked this up from the library. Justin read this to the kids while I was making dinner. I had to eventually sit down so that I didn't wet my pants. I laughed SO HARD! This could have very easily been titled "Bedtime for Kinley". Frances' thought process and behavioral tactics were so perfectly patterned after my Kinley that it was frightening. Every bit of it was freakishly accurate, even Mommy and Daddy totally getting busted with "tea and cake" after putting the kids down a...more
Frances is a feisty little girl who does NOT want to go to bed. Her imagination gets away from her and she sees frightening things in her room that she then needs to run to her parents about. She gets reprimanded eventually. The book is told exactly like how a young child thinks and talks which is very fun for the reader.
I was twmpted to give this only 2 stars because I was si let down by it. Natalie is having trouble at night saying she is afraid of the dark and monsters, so we thought a book about possible scary things in ones room might help. It starts off strong, but ultimately the parents solutions is the threat of punishment, a spanking nonetheless! Not the comforting and reassuring story I was looking for. Also, since the only resolution is Frances deciding she's ready for sleep, it doesn't provide much h...more
May 27, 2009
Lisa
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-books,
picture-books
All the Frances books are my favorite, but this one is especially great, as Frances tries and tries to get out of going to bed. I love the little songs she makes up and her overactive immagination. Now that I have my own children, it has even more meaing as they try the same plaoys that she tried. Very sweet and fun classic.
As useful as this book is for talking about bedtime fears with my young daughter I almost fear it makes her think of things she wouldn't have otherwise thought of. I also don't like how the father threatens her with a spanking. My daughter loves Frances though so she still enjoys it.
Oct 02, 2009
Kelly
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
preschoolers who may have a hard time getting themselves to bed
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
Jun 16, 2008
Claire
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Claire by:
My parents bought it for me
"S is for sailboat, T is for tiger, U is for underwear down in the dryer . . . "
This was my favorite book as a child. I will admit, it disturbed me slightly to have to add such a garishly full-color version of this book to my list, as the highlight of my old battered childhood copy was the single-color pen and ink illustrations, where each book only had one accent color (this one was green).
Frances the Badger is one of my literary alter egos - pesky, stubborn, hyper-imaginative to the point of...more
This was my favorite book as a child. I will admit, it disturbed me slightly to have to add such a garishly full-color version of this book to my list, as the highlight of my old battered childhood copy was the single-color pen and ink illustrations, where each book only had one accent color (this one was green).
Frances the Badger is one of my literary alter egos - pesky, stubborn, hyper-imaginative to the point of...more
Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on the book, but the threat of a spanking is not great at the end. I scratched some parts out in my childhood version. I don't think my kids would even understand (they laugh when I playfully swat their fannies, since it is only ever done in jest).
Frances is like all sorts of kids when it comes to bedtime; she doesn't want to go & tries every trick in the book to stay up later including being thirsty, wanting another toy to sleep with, having the door open. After awhile, she realizes she really is tired and heads to bed.
In this story Frances uses all the usual lines to avoid bedtime. Frances tries over and over again to put off going to bed and her parents patiently listen to all her excuses. I like the Frances stories, but I worry that they will teach my son bad habits.
This one is wonderful — Frances keeps coming up with reasons for getting out of bed. There is a reference to spanking that would need to change to “time-out,” but other than that it’s great. My daughter enjoyed it, and then went right to sleep!
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2 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
“There is a tiger in my room,' said Frances.
'Did he bite you?' said Father.
'No,' said Frances.
'Did he scratch you?' said Mother.
'No,' said Frances.
'Then he is a friendly tiger,' said Father. 'He will not hurt you. Go back to sleep.”
—
12 people liked it
'Did he bite you?' said Father.
'No,' said Frances.
'Did he scratch you?' said Mother.
'No,' said Frances.
'Then he is a friendly tiger,' said Father. 'He will not hurt you. Go back to sleep.”
“(Frances has gotten out of bed again and come to her parents' room...)
'How can the wind have a job?' asked Frances.
'Everybody has a job,' said Father.
'I have to go to my office every morning at nine o'clock. That is my job. You have to go to sleep so you can be wide awake for school tomorrow. That is your job.'
Frances said, 'I know, but...'
Father said, 'I have not finished. If the wind does not blow the curtains, he will be out of a job. If I do not go to the office, I will be out of a job. And if you do not go to sleep now, do you know what will happen to you?'
'I will be out of a job?' said Frances.
'No,' said Father.
'I will get a spanking?' said Frances.
'Right!' said Father.
'Good night!' said Frances, and she went back to her room.”
—
2 people liked it
More quotes…
'How can the wind have a job?' asked Frances.
'Everybody has a job,' said Father.
'I have to go to my office every morning at nine o'clock. That is my job. You have to go to sleep so you can be wide awake for school tomorrow. That is your job.'
Frances said, 'I know, but...'
Father said, 'I have not finished. If the wind does not blow the curtains, he will be out of a job. If I do not go to the office, I will be out of a job. And if you do not go to sleep now, do you know what will happen to you?'
'I will be out of a job?' said Frances.
'No,' said Father.
'I will get a spanking?' said Frances.
'Right!' said Father.
'Good night!' said Frances, and she went back to her room.”
updated May 26, 2009 04:35pm
May 26, 2009 04:37pm
May 26, 2009 05:42pm