Review by Booklist Review
When distracting, sometimes spooky nighttime sights and sounds interfere with Sasha's ability to get a good night's sleep, this brave five-year-old takes matters into her own hands. Loud neighbors, creepy images and noises, and a very bright moon are keeping Sasha awake. She knows she can always call Mama and Papa to help dispel troubles, but Sasha is determined to solve her own problems, and her repeated refrain, ""I'm brave! I'm strong! I'm five!"" appears every time she hops out of bed to make her room more peaceful and sleep-friendly. Best's story is a lively and reassuring take on developing autonomy and independence, and Sasha's bold, repeated assertion about her own abilities will be especially comforting to little ones. Kulikov's full-color, heavily crosshatched artwork adds to the night-time atmosphere, zooming in on expressive neighbors, shadowy creatures in corners, and the warm glow of Sasha's flashlight, which helps debunk her fears. This empowering twist on the classic bedtime story is a great match for Vin Vogel's Bedtime for Yeti (2016).--Vivian Alvarez Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--A young girl weathers the terrors of going to sleep all by herself. Sasha's parents have read her a story, kissed her cheeks, and tiptoed out of her room, but she still isn't tired enough to sleep. It's loud outside, and the moon is too bright, and strange, scary noises fill the room. The temptation to call on her parents, who she knows are waiting right outside her door, is hard to resist. As she encounters each problem, Sasha resolutely reminds herself that she can do this herself, for she is brave, she is strong, and she is five! So she pulls the curtains tightly shut against the moonlight, shines a flashlight to startle her cat and eventually--finally--is able to rest peacefully for the night. Kulikov's playful mixed media illustrations create hints of malice and magic in the night that are revealed through the child's investigations. While there are other stories that deal with bedtime and the terrifying transformation of innocuous shapes in the night, this story stands out for its ability to break down bravery into small, manageable steps. VERDICT The protagonists' fears and worries are completely relatable and readers will joyfully join in the refrain of, "I'm brave! I'm strong! I'm five!" A first purchase for libraries serving young children.--Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library, RI
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In this intrepid bedtime story, an independent young girl confronts and overcomes her fear of the dark by reminding herself, Im brave! Im strong! Im five! Its time for bed, but Sasha isnt tired: she uses her flashlight to make a star, a car with one headlight, and a lighthouse that blinks on and off; she bounces on her bed like a girl kangaroo that doesnt want to sleep. Looking out her window, she sees the moon and its giant eye staring down at me. Shes about to call Mama and Papa, but then resolves, I can do this myself, because Im brave! Im strong! Im five! This mantra (along with the light of her flashlight) helps Sasha face a series of challengesa shadow with six arms, a loud crash, a scary face. I didnt call Mama. I didnt call Papa. I did everything myself. Hooray! Cinematic and bold, Kulikovs crosshatched illustrations effectively use lighting to create and then dispel Sashas fearful imaginings. In a nearly dark bedroom, the shadows do create a spooky six-armed monster and a scary ghostly face. But then, under the warm glow of the flashlight, the eerie and shadowy are revealed as ordinary: a costume, the girls reflection in a mirror. Equal parts sincere and entertaining, this is a story that affirms and empowers children as they face their own bedtime fears. Emmie Stuart January/February 2020 p.65(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A feisty 5-year-old wants to prove to herself that she can handle the nighttime terrors in her room alone.At first, Sasha's just not tired after "Mama's stories and Papa's jokes and coffee kisses on both my cheeks." In a fantastical double-page spread, the little girl grows wings, the ears and legs of an Australian marsupial, and a scaly body as she declares, "I wave like a bird and swim like a fish and bounce on my bed like a girl kangaroo that doesn't want to sleep. A phone rings like a marching parade, a baby cries, and a piano plays." There is an explanation for the noises: It's the neighbors. But then things start to get worrisome, and as Sasha looks around, she notices some things that are truly frightening: a "giant eye staring down" from the moon, a shadow "with six arms," and more. The young white girl figures out how to cope with these strange occurrences, chanting the title words several times and turning on her flashlight to reveal the commonplace sources of these manifestations. The multimedia illustrations, with their interesting lighting effects, crosshatching that creates a rich surface effect, and deep nighttime colors, provide an appropriate setting for this engaging bedtime story.Just creepy enough to validate both fears and bravery. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
