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Patrick Picklebottom and the Longest Wait

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Patrick Picklebottom is back - and so is his love of books and reading!

This time, when Patrick sees a sign announcing story time is coming up, he's the first to arrive. But to his dismay, however, he arrives hours early, and the wait just feels like forever. Patrick has his work cut out for him to keep himself occupied, and not go stir-crazy during his very long wait.

Was it five yet? He looked at the clock just to see,
but oh no! It was only two minutes past three.
It felt like a week had already gone by -
and for a moment he thought he might break down and cry.

He had to find something to pass time along,
so he decided to start...by singing a song.
He began with "Dem Bones," right into "Blind Mice"
then some '80s rock ballads that he thought were quite nice.

He was dancing around, having all sorts of fun, and the next thing he knew, it was 3:31.

Join Patrick Picklebottom as he explores his imagination to make the longest wait ever a while lot more fun. Using art and music, Patrick creates new worlds for himself and the reader, showcasing that in any trip, there's far more fun in the journey than in the destination. And with a surprise twist at the end, we never know where his imagination will take us next!

From the best-selling author of  Ricky, the Rock that Couldn't Roll ,  Tess, the Tin that Wanted to Rock ,  The Bear and the Fern  and  Patrick Picklebottom and the Penny Book  comes a new cast of lovable characters and a story you and your children will cherish for years, and read over and over again.

Combining the spirit of She Silverstein, the heart of Mo Willems, and the rhyme and rhythm of Dr. Seuss, P atrick Picklebottom and the Longest Wait  is ideal for children ages 3-9 and Pre K-3rd grade.

Ideal for ages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9, and grades k-3

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2022

19 people are currently reading
30 people want to read

About the author

Mr. Jay

28 books17 followers
Well, hello there! Thanks for visiting my author page.

I'm Mr. Jay, and I have the best career on the planet - I get to spend my days creating amazing characters and writing stories about them that, for reasons I can't possibly imagine, people seem to like. So far, I've written books like "Ricky, the Rock that Couldn't Roll," "Tess, the Tin that Wanted to Rock," "Do Pebbles Eat Chili?", "The Masterpiece," "The Bear and the Fern," and a few books that will be coming out soon, such as "Patrick Picklebottom and the Penny Book," "Tyrannosaurus Hex," and others.

But the best part is that in between all of my writing, I get to travel around the country visiting school and meeting the most amazingly awesome kids ever. I read my books and then we discuss what they're about, and I always love hearing how kids interpret the stories that I write and discussing it with them.

I live in New Jersey (yes, by choice), and I have a wife, Amanda, who helps me improve all of my books as I write them, and a daughter named Bria who is the inspiration for many of the stories that I come up with.

I also love hearing from teachers and parents and kids, so please feel free to contact me at jmiletsky@newpaigepress.com.

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Kathleen Fain.
37 reviews4 followers
January 10, 2022
The Advantages of Boredom

Waiting for storytime results in a burst of imagination and creativity for one bored boy. This story, featuring fantastic illustrations, is a great reminder of why we need boredom. Constantly being entertained (usually through screen time) might be robbing kids (and grown ups too) to of valuable creative time. Dare to be bored!
9 reviews
January 11, 2022
So creative!

We love Patrick Picklebottom and we’re so happy he has more to explore. My older son loved how all his imaginary creations followed him. My younger son of course was all about the dinosaur! I like how it teaches them that they can create magical stories of their own!
Profile Image for Jacey.
15 reviews
January 16, 2026
This book is about a boy, Patrick Picklebottom, who is waiting for a story time that is happening at 5 o'clock. He realizes that he is super early, as it is currently 3 o'clock, and begins to get really bored waiting. He finds different activities to entertain himself with. First, he sings and dances to songs, then he writes a small poem about an elf, and lastly, he draws many different pictures. Each time he does a new activity, the time passes more quickly because he is enjoying himself. Before he knows it, the time is 5:20, but still the story time never came. Patrick reads the sign again and realizes that the story time is tomorrow at 5, but he wasn't mad because he enjoyed waiting, and resolves to get there early tomorrow to enjoy the long wait again.

The illustrations in this book are very colorful and beautiful. They seem very carefree and childlike, and show the imagination of children. I really liked the story of this book. It teaches a good lesson about how being bored can lead to many different creative ideas that result in a lot of fun. This is a really good lesson for children, because they learn that boredom is actually a good thing, and that being creative and imaginative makes time pass more quickly.

This book would be a good book to use and have in a classroom setting. There isn't necessarily a specific lesson I would use this book with, but it would be a good book to use to teach students about what to do when they finish their classwork, or any situation where they are bored and waiting. This book would be good, especially for younger children, but even older children could find this book enjoyable.
17 reviews
February 2, 2024
Patrick Picklebottom really enjoyed stories, and he saw a flyer up on a wall about story time happening at 5pm. So he waited, and waited, and waited until he got super bored. He started to fill his time by writing songs, making poems, drawing with chalk, making artwork. After doing all of these things it was twenty past five, and he looked back up at the flyer and realized the story wasn’t even until tomorrow. That’s when Patrick decided he was going to show up two hours early tomorrow to spend his time exploring exactly as he did that day.

I really enjoyed this book, and I think it is a fun and lighthearted story for children. It really brings light into being in the moment, and sometimes the journey can provide us with so much more than the actual destination itself. The illustrations were beautifully done, and did a very good job of portraying the emotion in the story. Gary Wilkinson used darker and shady tones when Patrick was bored and waiting, and brought the color to life while he was enjoying his time.

This would definitely be a book to read in my classroom, or have in my library. I don’t think I would pair it with a specific activity or as a book that connects with a lesson. I would integrate this book into my classroom to help students know what to do when they are done with their work and waiting, or have finished an assignment and need something to do. It will teach them the different things they can occupy themselves with and to explore, and it might end up being more enjoyable than they think.
Profile Image for Erth.
4,717 reviews
October 12, 2023
Join Patrick Picklebottom as he explores his imagination to make the longest wait ever a while lot more fun. Using art and music, Patrick creates new worlds for himself and the reader, showcasing that in any trip, there's far more fun in the journey than in the destination. And with a surprise twist at the end, we never know where his imagination will take us next!
Profile Image for Nisaryn.
145 reviews3 followers
January 11, 2022
Patience Mr. Picklebottom!

What a great story about all the things we can do while waiting. No reason to be bored so long as you have a little imagination and time to let it go wild. My kiddo and I really enjoyed this book and he recognized Ricky the Rock right away!
68 reviews
March 22, 2023
This book was an interesting one for me. I usually do not read books like this one. I like that the kid had to wait until 5 for dinner so he found him some things to do. He used his imagination and ideas to find ways to pass time. This story is really cute and fun to read too. The pictures on each page had something to do with the adventure he was on at the time so it all matched.
Profile Image for Tamara.
1,720 reviews3 followers
February 24, 2022
Cute story

I don't know many children with this much patience but what a fun adventure he had in his wait. Great reading
1 review
February 25, 2022
Sweet little story

I just read this story to my 5 year old son while we waited for his bus to arrive. It was sweet, and we both really enjoyed it!
29 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2022
Super Cute.

A great fun story about creating and doing while waiting. Beautiful illustrations. A fun book to show kids things they can do while they wait.
Profile Image for LaSheba Baker.
Author 1 book45 followers
April 24, 2022
Supercute! Patrick learns an important lesson about patience. This book has a very imagative rhyming storyline and fun illustrations. 🏰 🦕⏰💕
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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