By Myra Wolfe, Illustrated by Maria Monescillo
Houghton Mifflin Harcdourt, $16.99, 32 pages
Charlotte Jane the Hearty is born on a pirate ship. Her swashbuckling parents greet her with an “arr” and a proclamation that she has a lot of “formidable oomph.” They are certainly right. Charlotte Jane’s first words are “En Garde,” said while brandishing a pacifier sword. Planning treasure hunts and Fantastic Feats of Daring fill her days. There’s only one problem – Charlotte Jane dislikes going to bed. She believes that sleep is only for landlubbers. Her parents beg. Charlotte Jane fights sleep, until one night she doesn’t go to bed at all! Myra Wolfe’s Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime will entertain any family who has tried to deal with a sleep-resistant kid. Young readers will see themselves in Charlotte Jane and hopefully they realize that some sound sleep will put some extra pep in their step and give them the energy to do all their favorite activities during the day. This is an important lesson for all children. Let Charlotte Jane help kids with this sometimes frustrating process. Maria Monescillo’s pirate-themed watercolor illustrations are funny and fanciful. Readers will see Charlotte Jane lose steam as she avoids closing her eyes. Can she get her formidable oomph back?
Reviewed by Elizabeth Franklin
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