Stop Snoring, Bernard!

by Zachariah OHora, Zachariah OHora (Illustrator)

Overview

Bernard loves curling up to go to sleep. But there is one little problem. Bernard snores . . . LOUDLY! So loudly that he keeps all of the otters awake during naptime. So loudly that Grumpy Giles tells Bernard to move his snoring somewhere else!

Sad and lonely, Bernard tries sleeping in new places far away from the other otters: in a lake, in puddles, in a fountain. But no matter where he tries to nap, somebody complains. He just wants to hear two words: "Goodnight, Bernard!"

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466810785
Publisher:	Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Publication date:	02/14/2012
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	37 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Zachariah OHora's illustrations have appeared in numerous publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, Flavorpill, and The Big Book of Fashion Illustration. He lives in Narberth, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two sons. Stop Snoring, Bernard! is his first book for children.

Editorial Reviews

Bernard is a sweet, fuzzy fellow who sails around belly-up in his zoo's otter pool, but he snores during naptime—"Snore somewhere else, Bernard," says his fellow otter, Grumpy Giles—and he can't find a place to sleep that doesn't disturb his zoo mates. Gentle text and a low-key story line allow debut talent OHora to put lots of energy into his spreads. Half-naïf, half-funky acrylic paintings look a lot like woodblock prints; forms are simple, figures are cheerfully hatched and outlined with big black lines, and squared-off letters appear in big speech balloons. OHora has plenty of good ideas about how to use space. When Bernard tries sleeping in the zoo fountain, the giraffes who tell Bernard to stop snoring have necks so long that they exit the top of the page and re-enter on the opposite page. And when a huge alligator leaps out of the lake Bernard's sleeping in with a "STOP SNORING, BERNARD!" his open mouth, the mouths and tails of smaller alligators behind him, and Bernard's waving arms and legs set up a lovely visual rhythm. A promising debut. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

The endearing tale—told in simple images whose heavy black outlines and graphic shadows are sometimes reminiscent of century-old Arts and Crafts woodcuts—follows Bernard's travails with humor but also a good dose of empathy.” —Time Out New York Kids

“Jaunty compositions, with animal characters busting out of the frames, makes for audacious humor, and hand-painted lettering signifying Bernard's snoring and the animals' admonitions adds visual zing. Young children will fall for Bernard's over-the-top noisemaking and relish joining in with the quickly familiar phrase, ‘Stop snoring, Bernard!'” —Booklist

“Gentle text and a low-key story line allow debut talent OHora to put lots of energy into his spreads. . . . A promising debut.” —Publishers Weekly

“An artist to watch.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Here's a debut that's sure to make a splash. . . . This is a crowd-pleaser sure to send youngsters clamoring for more from snoring Bernard.” —Shelf Awareness

From the Publisher

PreS-K—This title puts forth a good effort with striking illustrations but falls short on plot. Bernard lives happily at the zoo with his otter friends, but his snoring is disturbing them. Grumpy Giles, who has had enough of the noise, tells him "to go snore somewhere else." Bernard tries sleeping in a waterfall, a lake, a puddle, and a cave. In each scenario, various other animals balk as well. Only the bats don't mind, because they're nocturnal. Soon the other otters beg Bernard to come home because they miss him, including Grumpy Giles. Acceptance is a beautiful thing, but Bernard still snores, resulting in a story without a resolution. Illustrations in muted acrylics are the real strength of this title, with details children will enjoy discovering. Otters wearing headgear and playing water polo are featured on the first page, while another is sporting a striped referee shirt. Bernard's sweet facial expressions create a cuddly and amicable character. Even Grumpy Giles's scrunched up expression is endearing. James Howe's Brontorina (Candlewick, 2010) and Candace Fleming's Clever Jack Takes the Cake (Random, 2010) tell a similar, but stronger story.—Anne Beier, Clifton Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

Bernard has a problem: His persistent snoring keeps the other otters awake. When Grumpy Giles sends him packing, Bernard tries napping in the zoo's lake (with its croc denizens, who, fortunately, seem to be more interested in peace and quiet than in a nice otter snack), a fountain (where he annoys giraffes) and a puddle dominated by perturbed elephants. He manages a bit of shut-eye in a bat cave, but when the creatures throng back to roost after a night of hunting, Bernard trudges off once more, tearfully heading for the zoo exit. Illustrator OHora's debut features muscular acrylic-on-paper pictures in a palette of red, teal, brown, black and ochre. Wide black outlines and OHora's own display type add graphic pizzazz to spreads featuring charmingly depicted animals. The story of family acceptance is simple: The otters miss Bernard, search for him all night and welcome him back into the clan. As a story, it's a little thin, but the illustrations carry the day. The strong visuals and patterned text, with "Stop Snoring, Bernard!" a thrice-repeated refrain, add up to an inviting, pleasant read-aloud—irascible giraffe notwithstanding—for one-on-one or group sharing. An artist to watch.(Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews