A baby orangutan is sleepy, but before he shuts his eyes he must first say goodnight to each and every part of himself: from the feet that ran him around all day, to the legs that did all that jumping, to the ears that listened so intently to the big world around him. Echoing the loving goodnight rituals that will be familiar to many a parent and child, the gentle text and softly-hued illustrations are just the thing for coaxing an active toddler to sleep.
Born Andrew Dugald Daddo with twin James Beilby. School included "broken arms and fingers, scrapes and scratches, girlfriends, hot chips and a football team that refused to win a premiership." Careers included radio, TV - DVDs for GlobeTrekker. "He has written books for all ages – picture books, chapter books, short story collections, young adult novels and adult non-fiction." He "lives on Sydney’s Northern Beaches with" .. seven others "if you include our chicken Spite and thirteen if you include those pesky Indian Miner Birds who sneak in the crack in the window to eat what Spud the Dog, Felix, Bibi or Jasper (our kids) or Jacquie (my wife) leave lying around." https://www.facebook.com/andrew.daddo.16
What a sweet and powerful little book. Great reminders to be thankful for all the body lets one do throughout a day, and to let it be still and quiet when it needs to be. Soothing mauve and lavender tones get the little reader ready for bed.
I have read this book many, many times since we bought it, and it was chosen by my nephews as a bedtime story. They said they had never heard this story before!
A sleepy orangutan is relaxing before he goes to sleep. My nephews enjoyed this story and I enjoyed reading it to them.
It's interesting as the way the orangutan says goodnight is one technique that was recommended to my kids as a way to relax and unwind before sleep!
Lovely pictures and a way of working through a guided meditation at bedtime (slowly naming and relaxing each body part or applying pressure/massage to help provide proprioceptive reassurance).
Miss 4 and I like to explore different books and authors at the library, sometimes around particular topics or themes. We try to get different ones out every week or so; it's fun for both of us to have the variety and to look at a mix of new & favourite authors.
For little kids who won’t go to sleep, this is an excellent bed time book for them to step by step appreciate each part of their body and slowly put each part to bed before their brain goes to bed. Did not work on my daughter though.
A sweet little orangutan goes through and tells each part of him to relax and sleep now so they can play tomorrow. Simple text and beautiful pictures, a great toddler read aloud!
It’s bedtime and a baby orangutan is settling into bed. Starting with his feet and working his way to his eyes, he says goodnight to each of his body parts until he finally exhausts himself and says, “Goodnight, Me. See you in the morning.”
The illustrations, done in pastels and watercolors, are gentle and help to create a calming atmosphere. The text is concise as the little orangutan settles each body part in for bed, “Legs, get some rest. We’ve got a lot of jumping to do tomorrow.”
Use this book as the finale to a pajama or body part themed storytime. Have the kids wiggle each body part that the orangutan mentions so that they finally end up laying on the floor with their eyes closed. If you’re reading this during a lapsit storytime, have the parents point to each body part on themselves and their baby.
This is such a charming story and so beautifully illustrated.
The story is focused around the point-of-view of the main character, a baby orangutan. The little one is convincing his body to calm down for sleep. He names body parts and, mentioning some of what they do in his busy day, he tells them to settle down for the night. Feet, knees, legs, tummy, bottom (“Enough wriggling, bottom. It’s time to be still.”), chest, hands, arms, neck, head, mouth, eyes (“Can you see any dreams yet?”). As his mother tucks him in and kisses him goodnight, he is drifting off to sleep. It is the cutest story.
This first picture book by Andrew Daddo is a wonderful bedtime book to help a child relax and settle down for sleep, and also be fun for a child who is learning to read. The illustrations by Emma Quay are delightful – soft and realistic-looking of the little orangutan. This is a book to treasure.
The celebrity children's book should always be approached with caution...
This book attempts to get that active toddler asleep by sequentially saying good night to body parts. The idea is certainly not new, and I'm almost certain there are other books that use the idea. The text in this book is acceptable - not exceptional, not terrible. The use of an orangutan by Emma Quay provides a point of interest.
The quote from the "grateful parent" on the back about how this book solved all their bedtime battles is a bit over the top!
Another great idea ruined by pictures. In this case they're a small orangutan clad in nothing but an undershirt and sleeping in a basic bed. It's simultaneously too human to be an orangutan, and too much of an orangutan to be a human--the final effect is of an unkempt cave child. I love the idea of the child saying goodnight to his/her body parts. So next time, could we have a child in the pictures, and if political correctness is needed, perhaps children of both genders and various races?
This books is beautiful. A mother putting her baby monkey to bed by saying goodnight to all parts of his body. This is like one of those relaxation tapes where you relax your shoulders, feel you fingers etc but delivered in lovely prose and illustrator Emma Quay captures the expressions of an over-excited child to one falling asleep with sublime humour.
All about a baby orangutan trying to help the different parts of his body to fall asleep, probably the most endearing good night story I've read in a long while. Also, the illustrations are top-notch.
I think the illustrations are adorable--but don't particularly sync with the text in a way that makes this sensational. As some have noted, the text almost needs a human child to really work. The illustrations are awfully cute, though.
Would be perfect for a toddler storytime. Too young for the preschool? Then again, I do get young ones at preschool. Cute that the monkey is saying good night to everything about himself, and trying to get himself to be still. The kids might enjoy that. I'll keep it around just in case.
This is a nice, soothing book; perfect for bedtime. Each part of the body is acknowledged and relaxed (goes to sleep) until finally the little orangutan drifts off to sleep herself.
By Andrew DADDO? Wait. THAT Andrew Daddo? It can't be! But IT IS!!! He has written a sweet bedtime book that would make a useful addition to a sleepytime storytime.