Title: Goodnight Already
Author: Jory John
Illustrator: Benji Davies
Age Group: 1-5
Synopsis: Bear just wants to sleep but with a friend like Duck that might not be possible.
The Lowdown:
I seem to be on a theme here. Maybe it’s the approaching due date that’s making me cherish the sleep I can still get or maybe it’s the fact that the third trimester is hammering me like an unrelenting wave (Isn’t nausea supposed to be over by now?!). Either way, obviously it’s been on my mind. We really have a chuckle with Jory John books and Benji Davies is a favorite as well so it seemed silly not to bring this story home. Bug absolutely loves it. In the first week we must have read it a dozen times. However he always insists on readers choosing the character that they are going to voice. Most of the week I was Bear and Bug read Duck’s lines (as much as he was able). It definitely puts a different spin on things but kept the entertainment level pretty high.
John opens the story by introducing us to Bear, who, I must say, resembled me this morning at about 3:30. He just wants to sleep. Duck, on the other hand, is pumped that Bear will be such an awesome companion for doing lots of exciting things. And so he heads on over to Bear’s house, multiple times, in an effort to try and finagle Bear into some sort of activity. The resulting dialogue is amusing and downright hilarious for little readers. Finally, Bear convinces Duck to go back home and leave him in peace for the rest of the night. Duck does just this and then passes out within moments of returning home. As we turn the last page though, we meet Bear once more, he’s making cookies with a shell-shocked look on his face and informing us that he’s never been so awake.
Benji Davies always produces such fantastic illustrations and while these are a bit different from his normal style, they don’t disappoint. They’re very focused on the main characters, with bright back colors, helping little ones easily focus on the main plot. Bear and Duck are so extremely expressive too that it adds the perfect amount of giggles to the reading. The ever growing circles under Bear’s eyes are a little detail that really adds to the story. His stuffed rabbit was also a favorite of Bug’s that was a fun little thing to search for on each page. The design style as a whole is a very simplistic but very vibrant and strong set of drawings that perfectly compliments the story. 
I’ve seen this book around for awhile but hadn’t yet picked it up. Of course, I didn’t realize that it was a Jory John and Benji Davies collaboration either, which in and of itself is a great reason to check it out. The story was simplistic enough that Bug, as an emerging reader, had no issues with it. But it also carried a big enough dose of humor that was quirky and simple enough for a three-year-old to understand and feel in on the joke. Coupled with Davies’ excellent drawings, that manage to grab your attention without being overly detailed, Goodnight Already is set up to be a continuous favorite. It heads back to the library this week but I have a feeling that this will not be the last we see of it.
Story Tips:
- If your little one isn’t reading yet make sure to use different voices for each character. It really plays into the whole story and adds another level of silliness.
I need more!
Jory John is well known in our house for Penguin Problems another funny sort of book with a very sarcastic undertone. However, if you’re looking for another book featuring Duck and Bear then you are in luck as I Love You Already is already out as well as Come Home Already. His most recent book Bad Seed was out in 2017 and looks awesome but we haven’t been able to check it out yet. For more about Jory John check out Amazon or Google as his website had very limited info on each publication.
Benji Davies did the stunning Storm Whale books and seems to pop up all over. For more information check out my post on The Dragon and the Nibblesome Knight.
