My Parents Think I'm Sleeping

I Can Read: Level 3

by Jack Prelutsky, Yossi Abolafia (Illustrator)

So my parents think I'm sleeping, but that's simply their mistake, I have got them fooled completely, I am really wide-awake.

From watching shadows dancing on a wall, to reading books by flashlight under the covers, to sneaking downstairs to grab that last piece of chocolate cake, master poet Jack Prelutsky shows readers that a child's life "begins" at bedtime!

Genres: Poetry, Childrens, Picture Books, Fiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1985

About the author

Jack Prelutsky is an American poet. He attended New York public schools, and later the High School of Music and Art and Hunter College. Prelutsky, who has also worked as a busboy, furniture mover, folk singer, and cab driver, claims that he hated poetry in grade school because of the way it was taught. He is the author of more than 30 poetry collections including Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep< and A Pizza the Size of the Sun. He has also compiled countless children's anthologies comprised of poems of others'. Jack Prelutsky was married to Von Tre Venefue, a woman he had met in France. They divorced in 1995, but Jack remarried. He currently lives in Washington state with his wife, Carolyn. He befriended a gay poet named Espiritu Salamanca in 1997 and both now work together in writing poems and stories for children and adults alike.

Reviews

[Gauri Tandan · Rating 1 out of 5]

it's good for kids.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book of poems about bed time. I had to skip a few pages with pictures of monsters etc that might creep into dreams. Overall, cute poems but I recommend for a little bit of an older reader.

[Thera Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book for kids about bedtime. Sneaking a little reading in, scary shadows, etc...my kids (6 & 9)certainly related to it. I didn't really care for the weird chapter titles, but I guess it's because this is "an I can read" book and they are getting kids used to seeing chapter titles...?
Anyway...it's worth a few minutes of your day.

[Sydney Padden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Age Group: 3rd grade - 5th grade

Summary: My parents think I'm sleeping is a short simple story about a boy tricking his parents that he is all tucked in bed under his covers, when really he is wide awake. He turns on his flashlight and is reading poems and stories. He is playing with pieces of a model rocket and not fast asleep at all. He waited for his parents to leave then dove beneath the covers with his light to play. He believes his parents think that he is sleeping and that he has them truly fooled. (This is one story from a series of short stories from the "I Can Read!" series)

Theme: The theme of this short story is the innocence that children hold. This story shows how the little boy thinks he is being so sneak in playing and using he flashlight in bed, but clearly his parents know that he is not actually asleep. He is so happy playing around in his bed that his parents continue to let him do that until he eventually falls asleep on his own.

Personal Response: I really enjoyed reading this particular short story out of the "I Can Read" series. I really related to what the little boy was doing because I would do the same exact thing as a child and my mom just recently told me she knew I was still awake every time, but let me do it because I was reading and then would just fall asleep when I got tired anyways. I love how this book depicts how sneaky the little boy thinks he is being, because in reality his parents know what he is up to. He is just so happy to be under his covers awake, when he is supposed to be asleep.

Recommendation: I would recommend using this particular short story, as well as the series as a whole in the classroom. I love these books because they aren't at too hard of a reading level so kids are able to enjoy them on their own or with an adult reading them. They are great to have stored in the classroom as they are short, and interesting for children just beginning to read on their own. I think it would be beneficial to read this short story then begin a discussion with the kids about if they have ever done something they thought was sneaky and how they grew from that. It could also be fun to read this before bed with your child and then let them read a book with a flashlight under their covers until they are responsible enough to decide when they are tired.

[Hannah Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with poems of a little boy who is not ready to go to sleep. While his parents think he is asleep, he is reading with a flashlight under his sheets and seeking down to get cake.

This book would be engaging for students because it is something they can relate to about not wanting to go to sleep when their parents tell them to. It also has great poems and rhymes that are fun for students to follow along with as they read.

This book would be great for a transitional reader who needs to focus on rhyming words. Students could read the book and identify the same ending sound. It also could be used to introduce poetry that the students are interested in.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a poem book, without it being a 'in your face' poem book. Each chapter is a long poem written in rhyme about a little boy trying to fall asleep. Talking about the various things that keep his mind going. About the clouds what he sees in the day versus the night. The shadows on his wall during the day versus at night. etc. It's written very well and the rhyming verses are very nice to read out loud as well.

[Billy Noecker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everybody knows what its like to not be able to sleep. In this poetry book, the main character tells us about what he does when his parents think he's sleeping. Be it staying up and reading, sneaking to the kitchen for some cake, watching shadows on the wall, this book will have you thinking about what you find yourself doing when you a laying in bed and cannot sleep. Children will be able to relate to this creatively written poetry book.

[Krysta McFarland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cute poetry book, good for grades 2-4, is such a good book that I think can relate to all students of any age. They have such a cute way of connecting the life experiences of a child to a book that students could read. I love the language they use and the pictures that accompany them. The book is very simplistic but I do not think that is a bad thing. I would love to have this book in my classroom to help introduce poetry while connecting to students.

[Gabriella Bumbaca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: Poetry
Grade Range: K-1
Review:
This was such a cute book. I enjoyed it because it could make sense to read it all at once, but you could also just read it one poem at a time. It seems like a good nighttime poem book to read to my children rather than a book to use for poetry in the classroom. But it is still a great book overall!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe this book has been out for so many years and we just barely found it!

Loved it! Great level for early readers and it’s entertaining for older kids. It’s so creative and the author really tapped into a child’s mind.

I predict it will soon be a family favorite like this authors book of Thanksgiving poems which we live and quote from often.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lively and cozy themed collection of nighttime poems is a brilliant way to introduce emerging readers to the category of rhyme we call poetry. With kid-centric text, thoughtful illustrations, and a cheeky smirk, the author-poet (and illustrator) dare you not to like this volume which reads almost like a narrative. This edition features updated pictures by the original artist.

[Reanna Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade: 2nd-4th
Genre: Poetry
In this book the kid pretends to be asleep while secretly enjoying the nighttime. The illustrations in the book is the world at night, such as the moonlight, stars, and the feeling of being awake when everyone else is asleep. These pictures are very cool and childlike. I enjoyed this book.

[Julie Rothlauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jack Prelutsky creates a playful story told through rhyming poetry about what happens in a young boy’s mind when his parents think he is sleeping. The poems take you through the young boy’s imagination of monsters, animals outside, and his explorations.

[Caitlyn Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not very impressed with this book. I did not realize it was poetry when I first picked it, so that might have thrown me off a bit. I also did not felt that the stories flowed the way I would have liked them too.

[Erin Rice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was cute, but doesn’t catch everyone’s attention! I have read it to different crowds and students and some loved it and others showed no interest, I personally think the book has to pertain to you personally

[Abby Peskin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of poems about bedtime - some are about what makes bedtime scary (loud noises outside, etc.), some about what makes it calming and soothing, with all of the animals silent and still and darkness covering everything.

[Emerson and Theodore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part early reader and part poetry, this book caught our early reader's attention. Just difficult enough w a few words per page that need sounding out. Kindergarten reader.

[Kimberly Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute poem book about a boy who wonders what happens at night like reading under the like what happens to colors, noises, etc. Good easier reader level 3 book for grades 2-5.

[Rhettleigh Milnor · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Parents Think I’m Sleeping is a fun book of poetry for 4-8 year old. The poetry all goes along the central theme of what the character sees at night, both real and imaginary. These sights are such things a beautiful stars, monsters, rain falling, and adventure in the woods, his father sneaking some chocolate cake, and much more. I chose this book because I thought it would be great for more advanced students to study imagery or younger students to practice fluency.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute verses and nice illustrations for the early reader.

[Star ☔️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book for kids.

[Mosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect catchy, sing song, rhyming bedtime book.

[KaitandMaddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed these poems.

[Elizabeth Roe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grade/interest level: Primary (1st-3rd grade)
Reading level: Lexile, 430L
Genre: Poetry, Picture Book

Main Characters: A young boy
Setting: Varies by poem
POV: First person, from the young boy


This book features a variety of poems with topics that are relevant to young students in the primary grades. The poems also feature detailed illustrations to enhance visualization and comprehension. One of the poems (which is the book’s namesake) is about what the young boy does in his bedroom when his parents think he’s sleeping. There is another poem about a noisy night that includes drawings of somewhat frightening creatures. This is not a poem I would use with the younger students, because one can never be sure what might scare one student that would be silly and fun to another. However, there is another poem about a “spooky sort of shadow” which is revealed to just be things found in the boy’s bedroom. There is another poem about dreaming and one about sneaking out of bed. Another is about rain and also one about what the young boy would be doing if the sun were out. The majority of these poems center on bedtime and the process of night and day.

I think this is a good resource for primary students as an introduction to poetry. Although most of the topics used in the poetry are not topics that would lend to much deep discussion, I think they are still topics that students can relate to in order to stay interested while reading. Due to the simple subject material, I think I would definitely consider using this in a poetry unit. This could help students understand the structure of poetry and the different types of poetry.

[Anna Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little boy with a very big imagination.

[Bernadette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of poems by Jack Prelutsky is all about bedtime. The fourteen poems cover such topics as night, scary noises, midnight snacks, light, and finally falling asleep. The illustrations add to the understanding and meaning of each poem.

I enjoyed these poems the first time through. They cover topics that are familiar to everyone, especially children. However, I thought it would better to have these poems as part of another collection, as I found the rhythm and types of poems were very similar and it would be nice to have them interspersed with different types and sounds. The illustrations are simple and definitely add to the meaning of the poems, but they didn’t do anything for me. The darkness and lack of much color in the illustrations added to the nighttime feeling though. I think children would enjoy the topics and humor of these poems!

[Samantha Yoder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I personally thought this was a cute book! It has a collection of poems describing what a child does when it is time for bed. There are pictures that pertain to every poem and are also fun to look at. I feel like children who read this will enjoy it not only for the poems and illustrations, but also because it is a quick read.

[Stephanie M · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY OPINION IS THAT I LIKED IT BECAUSE THE BOY IS ACTING ASLEEP.ITS GENRE IS POETRY BECAUSE IT RHYMES.MY QUICK RETELLING IS THAT IN THE STORY THE KID GETS UNDER THE BLANKETS AND READS POEMS AND HIS PARENTS THINK HE IS SLEEPING.MY SCHEMA OF THE BOOK IS THAT HE HIDS UNDER HIS BLANKET AND I DO TOO.MY QUESTIONS WHY WAS HE HIDDING UNDER HIS BLANKET?MY RECOMMENDATION I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO AIMEE BECAUSE SHE LIKES THE BOOK MY PARENTS THINK IM SLEEPING.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a poetry book and is intended for the nursery and primary age groups. The words are big and easy to read, however it does have some larger vocabulary words.The pictures are colorful and very child like. This would be a good book to read to the nursery group before bed and the readers of the primary age can read it alone before bed.

[La'shae · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is so great for introducing students into a chapter book layout. Although the book is divided by different poems it still introduces beginning readers to a chapter book. I liked this book because it can lead to a great class discussion on things that you may think of while you cannot sleep. Which can later lead to a beyond activity.