Synopses & Reviews
What do a truck-driving princess, space aliens who burp fire, and Kung-Fu pigs have in common? They're all a part of the most epic bedtime story ever! When Jake and Jenny turn down every book Daddy tries to read before bed, he decides to make up his own story. In his follow up to Daddies Do It Different, Alan Lawrence Sitomer spins an unexpected adventure that zigzags from hilarious, to heartwarming, to cupcake-making unicorns, and back.
Review
K-Gr 2 It's bedtime and Daddy has the perplexing task of satisfying both Jenny and Jake with a goodnight story. The kids are very picky and dismiss his selections as the same old same old they've heard a thousand times before. Daddy comes up with the solution to invent a story of his own. He pleases both children by alternating the story line. The pretty princess, accompanied by a cupcake-baking unicorn, is the heroine of the tale. Before Jake can settle into a funk, Daddy makes sure that the princess drives a flying monster truck and battles the evil Space Aliens of Doom. The children cheer as Daddy gets carried away with his own creation. He throws in the space alien's "Kung-Fu Cabal of Sneezing Pigs" that begins "to launch missiles filled with corn and the eyeballs of dead spiders" vs. the princess's "surprise black-belt ballet-slipper spinning-thermonuclear side rumple-dumple kick." Fans of Kevin O'Malley's Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude (Walker, 2005) will find that this book hits the same humorous notes for a slightly younger clientele. Carter's illustrations are light and airy, executed in washes of watercolor and squiggly lines. Children will get a kick out of Jenny and Jake's expressions as they vary between delight and disgust. A fun and rousing addition. Diane McCabe, John Muir Elementary, Santa Monica, CA--SLJ
About the Author
Alan Lawrence Sitomer is a nationally renowned speaker and was California's Teacher of the Year in 2007. He is also the author of multiple works for young readers, including
Daddies Do It Different,
Nerd Girls, the Hoopster trilogy,
Cinder-Smella, and
The Alan Sitomer BookJam. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.
Abby Carter has illustrated many books for children, including Daddies Do It Different, My Hippie Grandmother, The Best Seat in Second Grade, and the Andy Shane chapter book series. Abby lives with her husband and two children in Connecticut.