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One Bear at Bedtime
A counting book featuring a little boy who describes the different creatures that help him get ready for bed
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
About the author
Mick Inkpen
388 books67 followersMick Inkpen is one of the most popular author/illustrators in the world. His books have sold over 4 million copies, and have been translated into over twenty different languages. His best-loved characters are probably Kipper and Wibbly Pig – who are both stars of their very own TV series!
He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.
In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.
He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.
In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 30, 2025
4 stars.
It's technically 3 stars (good) but I added one for nostalgia as this was my brothers childhood book.
It's a great bedtime rhyming picture book for little ones. Great illustrations and a good size book.
One thing about the book I loved most was the hunt for the catapillers on the pages. And I have to admit, number 5 took me a bit longer than it should have 😄. It was a fun thing to do and I'm sure it will be a highlight for many tiny tots.
It's technically 3 stars (good) but I added one for nostalgia as this was my brothers childhood book.
It's a great bedtime rhyming picture book for little ones. Great illustrations and a good size book.
One thing about the book I loved most was the hunt for the catapillers on the pages. And I have to admit, number 5 took me a bit longer than it should have 😄. It was a fun thing to do and I'm sure it will be a highlight for many tiny tots.
May 9, 2020
A simple counting book.
July 11, 2013
One bear at bedtime is a humorous counting book about a little boy who thinks that he only needs one bear at bedtime. However, he couldn’t be more wrong as a range of different animals and creatures join him by jumping on his bed, using up all of the toothpaste or drinking all of his bedtime milk.
This picture book is great for children in the Nursery as its mathematical content can get children familiar with counting from one to ten and also familiarises them with different numbers. This book is also very useful during whole class story-time sessions as it is very entertaining and hilarious which makes the story enjoyable for the children, and it allows the children to work as a class to count and to guess which number might come next (prediction).
This picture book is great for children in the Nursery as its mathematical content can get children familiar with counting from one to ten and also familiarises them with different numbers. This book is also very useful during whole class story-time sessions as it is very entertaining and hilarious which makes the story enjoyable for the children, and it allows the children to work as a class to count and to guess which number might come next (prediction).
September 9, 2012
My copy of One Bear at Bedtime now has curled corners and slightly yellowed pages as it was a favourite of not only mine, but also my brother and sister's.
I think this counting book is appropriate for children aged between three and five who are learning not only to count but to read numbers as well.
With illustrations typical of Mick Inkpen, the book makes learning fun. It uses a variety of animals and colours and has a hidden caterpillar on every page, offering lots of opportunity for interaction.
I think this counting book is appropriate for children aged between three and five who are learning not only to count but to read numbers as well.
With illustrations typical of Mick Inkpen, the book makes learning fun. It uses a variety of animals and colours and has a hidden caterpillar on every page, offering lots of opportunity for interaction.
April 14, 2013
This is another great text to teach counting. I would use this book for younger students who are beginning to learn their numbers. It is also a good bedtime story, being that the character in the book is counting all the animals he needs to help him get ready for bed.
November 4, 2009
The perfect bedtime story! It was my favorite book as a child, and I still love it today. I really like that it allows the child to interact with the story.
February 17, 2010
This appealed to my to year old. There is a worm hiding on each page. The animals do silly things.
March 21, 2013
Very cute counting book with a bedtime theme and lots of animals.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews