Monster Needs His Sleep

by Paul Czajak, Wendy Grieb (Illustrator)

Overview

It’s time for bed, and Monster needs to go to sleep. But he just keeps finding more things to stay awake for! It isn’t until Monster admits he is afraid of the dark that he finds a glowing solution to his nighttime problem.

In this playful, rhyming story, Monster shows young readers that, with a little help from a friend, the dark isn’t that scary after all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781098253431
Publisher:	Picture Book Studio Ltd
Publication date:	12/15/2023
Series:	Monster & Me Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.25(w) x 10.25(h) x 0.00(d)
Lexile:	540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 6 Years

About the Author

Paul Czajak got an F with the words “get a tutor” on his college writing paper and, after that, he never thought he’d become a writer. But after spending twenty years as a chemist, he knew his creativity could no longer be contained. Paul lives in New Jersey with his wife and two little monsters. In addition to the Monster & Me™ series, he's also the author of Seaver the Weaver, a contributor to The Huffington Post, and a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books.

Wendy Grieb is a professional working in the Los Angeles animation industry and teaching animation. She is also an Annie Award-winning storyboard artist, who has worked as a developmental artist, illustrator, and character designer for companies such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Sony, Klasky-Csupo, White Wolf, and more. She lives in Yorba Linda, California.

Read an Excerpt

Monster needs to get his sleep, it's time to go to bed.
But when I said it's sleepy time, he wants to play instead.
...
Monster needs to get his sleep, it's time to go to bed.
But when I said it's sleepy time, he wants to play instead.
...

Editorial Reviews

The Monster & Me™ series is a 2015 Silver Moonbeam Children's Book Award winner for Best Picture Book Series

A Foreword Reviews' 2014 IndieFab Award Finalist for Picture Books

"Czajak and Grieb (Monster Needs a Costume, 2013) pair up once again for a hilarious take on the many creative ways a monster attempts to avoid bedtime. In rollicking rhyme, a young boy narrates the story of how he repeatedly tries to get Monster into bed. ... young readers will appreciate seeing a child in charge of the situation and providing the solution. Sure to be a welcome choice for the going-to-bed time that never seems to end." — Kirkus Reviews

“Whoa, just look at that awesome cover art...don't you wanna dive right in? … The story is just as great as the first one we reviewed and the book is just amazing to look at. … This was the perfect monster bedtime story. We love what Paul Czajak is doing and you should too.” — Lil’ Blonde Monsters Blog

"Featuring an endearing character children will adore, this imaginative book will be hard to put down...even at bedtime!" — Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, author of Pirate Princess and Chicks Run Wild

"I loved Monster Needs His Sleep — the perfect book for calming any night-fearing little monster." — Paul Howard, illustrator of The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark


Monster Needs a Costume reviews:
"...Given the jaunty flow of the story and the humorous details on every page, put this at the top of the list for unscary options come October." — Kirkus Reviews

"The bouncy rhymes and childlike enthusiasm of the monster in this story—plus his silly ultimate costume decision—are sure to get young kids giggling." — Brian Lies, author of Bats at the Ball Game

From the Publisher

05/01/2014
PreS-K—In this second installment of the series, the vibrant palette and illustration style reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons continues to appeal. The monster is Sendakian in spirit, but slicker, more lively, less pensive. It is a typical role reversal set-up: the little boy is parent to Monster, and he tries to get him to sleep, while Monster cooks up a multitude of ideas to avoid doing just that. Might he be scared of the dark? On each dynamic page, readers will find lots of verve, action, and energy, with saturated colors and deep purples, as it gets later and later. Most of the action takes place in Monster's bedroom, decorated with boy-themed paraphernalia: robots, rockets, marine animals, and pirates. The verse gets a bit pedantic: "Monster, here's some water/Now please stop procrastinating/It's time to close your eyes and sleep/No more negotiating." The colorful computer-rendered illustrations are extremely appealing to today's media-saturated kids. Nevertheless, it falls short of being a game changer. Amanda Noll's I Need My Monster (Flashlight, 2009) and Lauren Child's I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed (Candlewick, 2001) have similar themes.—Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City

School Library Journal

2014-03-03
Czajak and Grieb (Monster Needs a Costume, 2013) pair up once again for a hilarious take on the many creative ways a monster attempts to avoid bedtime. In rollicking rhyme, a young boy narrates the story of how he repeatedly tries to get Monster into bed. Readers will recognize some of their own delaying tactics, from asking to watch television to needing a snack and demanding a drink. But the boy is persistent in moving the nighttime activities along: "I brushed my teeth, he brushed his fangs. / We put our PJ's on. // Then Monster went to grab his books… / ‘We'll have a read-a-thon!' " The boy—employing many strategies that parents use—agrees to some requests, firmly moves the monster toward bed, and gives him love and comfort. But in a somewhat surprising turn, it is not just ending the day that Monster is avoiding—he's afraid of the dark. The huge, cartoonish, gray-blue creature with tufty purple hair, long claws and striped horns comes across as a vulnerable softie as he hides under the covers and clutches a comically small monster doll. A night light is retrieved and sets "his room aglow. / Monster pulled his blanket down, and crawled out from below." A final goodnight kiss allows the cuddly guy to finally fall asleep. Although the premise isn't entirely original, young readers will appreciate seeing a child in charge of the situation and providing the solution. Sure to be a welcome choice for the going-to-bed time that never seems to end. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews