Night-Night, Emily Book

When her favorite stuffed animal is missing at bedtime, Emily tries other animals until her bed is crowded but without Mr. Teddy she cannot fall asleep.

Judy Crowder - Children's Literature

One cannot have enough "read to me " books for bedtime, especially when very young children must have everything just right before falling asleep. Not-sleepy toddlers will find a kindred spirit in Emily, who cannot go to sleep without her beloved Mr. Teddy. When her Teddy bear can't be found, Emily tries snuggling up to Mr. Quackers, Stripe the Cat, and numerous other plush toys, all of which say goodnight in their own voices, but it just is not working. Young listeners will enjoy Emily's searching upstairs and downstairs (Where is Emily's mom during all this activity?), tops of shelves, and under the bed for the perfect sleep companion. Illustrations are warm and charming, and although children's book editors claim they no not want human-acting toys, this picture book features toys talking and climbing around on Emily's bed. Is that necessary to the storyline? The "Oh, no!"s are either gentle rhythm or distracting, depending upon the listener. 2003, Tiger Tales, Ages 2 to 6.