Independent reading level: grades 3

This Level 3 I Can Read book is a funny collection of poems about a boy who should be sleeping, but manages to find more than just storybooks and his model rocket kit to keep him awake.

I liked this book for many reasons. The language used in this book was patterned and engaging. Figurative language was used multiple times throughout the book. An example of this figurative language occurred on page 23, "Who paints away the garden when the sky's a sea of ink?". This enhances the book because it helps the reader create mental pictures. The illustrations in this book are very well done. They fit with the written text and portray what the character is doing. They enhance the story because they bring a visual element that adds more dimension to the short text. For children's books, this is useful for children who have trouble reading because they can use picture cues if they need extra assistance reading any words. The big idea I took away from this story is how children can use their imagination to the fullest extent to have fun, even if they are by themselves at bed time. ( )

This book is good for elementary aged kids. It shows kids to be creative and adventure out of their comfort zone. The character in the book finds that he is having trouble sleeping. Instead of just laying in bed dwelling over the fact that he can't sleep, he decides to be creative and find things to do while he can't sleep. He reads a book with a flashlight under the covers, finds himself a piece of cake from the kitchen, and listens to the rain fall outside his window. Although the little boy can't sleep unfortunately, he finds many ways to entertain himself and use his time wisely. ( )

As I read this book I noticed how all the poems were connected with the story. The book is about a boy who lets his mind run wild and thinks of monsters, the cloud, cake, colors, streams, and many more. The illustrations bring the text to live and as I read it the images were in my head. I enjoyed the chocolate cake poem the most! I recommend this as a read aloud for third, fourth, and fifth graders. Most can relate to staying awake after being told to go to bed. ( )