Books like Peace at Last
By Jill Murphy
For the household where somebody is always the last one awake, this book turns that exact frustration into something funny instead of maddening. cozy, wry, gently repetitive, quietly funny
On a rainy afternoon, a snoozing granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing cat, and a slumbering mouse pile onto one cozy bed — until a wakeful flea bites, and the whole sleepy stack comes tumbling down.
A young badger tucked in for the night keeps finding reasons to get out of bed — a glass of milk, a favorite doll, worries about tigers and cracks in the ceiling — testing her patient parents one request at a time.
A pesky old black fly buzzes through the alphabet on a hot summer day, landing on the apple pie, bothering the baby, and driving one household to the edge — until someone finally swats him.
A mischievous family cat dodges bath time by scrambling Dad's chore list, so the family ends up mowing the floor, vacuuming the lawn, and mopping the baby instead of doing what they meant to.
A baby llama, tucked into bed by his mama, starts to worry the moment she heads downstairs — his whimpers building into full-blown hollers until she returns just in time.
Five little monkeys jump on the bed after saying goodnight to Mama — and one by one, they fall off, bump their heads, and get a call to the doctor.
A pleading, patient parent follows one wildly energetic baby through the ordinary chaos of a day — sandbox, high chair, crib, and everywhere in between — begging for just a little cooperation.
A dad whose bed keeps filling up with more and more children — Ben, Billy, twins Beth and Bart, then Brittany, Bella, and Boris — builds the biggest bed in the world to fit everyone in.
Four small bears sit happily on four small chairs until a big bear arrives, wanting a seat too — can they rearrange themselves to fit one more?
A polite bear asks animal after animal whether they've seen his missing hat, and just when he's ready to give up, a deer's simple question jogs his memory.
Five monkey siblings are supposed to be asleep, but they keep sneaking in one more book (or three), until Mama finally takes their books away and discovers a bedtime habit of her own.
A great brown bear sleeps through winter while mouse, hare, badger, raven, and mole sneak into his cave one by one, brewing tea and popping corn without waking him — until he finally stirs.
