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It Simply Can't Be Bedtime

Illustrated by Steven Salerno
Hardcover
$18.99 US
9"W x 11"H | 20 oz | 24 per carton
On sale May 20, 2025 | 32 Pages | 9780593532164
Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3
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Bedtime routines get a jolt of silliness and creativity when a dad and daughter face off in this timeless scenario.

When dad says it’s bedtime and his daughter strongly disagrees, her stuffy hilariously comes to her defense.

Lady Pigsworth is quick to point out the many ongoing projects that just can’t be abandoned, the danger of sleeping in a butterfly costume, the alarming spinach stuck in the girl's teeth, and more. Each over-the-top declaration of why it can’t possibly be bedtime yet leads the group through common bedtime routines in animated and heartwarming scenes—until Lady Pigsworth’s demands reach questionable heights, even to the little girl, so she takes matters into her own hands to get both of them into bed.

Dreamy illustrations and the hilarious Lady Pigsworth make for a perfect read-aloud that will leave any kid content to shut their eyes, at least for a little bit.
© Rodrigo Cid
Pamela Paul is the editor of The New York Times Book Review and oversees book coverage at the Times, where she hosts the weekly Book Review podcast. She is the author of eight books, including My Life with Bob; How to Raise a Reader; By the Book; Parenting, Inc.; Pornified; The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony; and Rectangle Time, a book for children. Prior to joining The New York Times, she was a contributor to Time and The Economist, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Vogue. View titles by Pamela Paul
STEVEN SALERNO is the author/illustrator of 5 picture books: Coco the CarrotLittle Tumbo, Harry Hungry!, Wild Child, and Tim’s Goodbye. Steven has also illustrated 24 popular picture books for other authors, including, Brothers at Bat (a New York Times Book Review's Notable Picture Book of the Year), The Kid from Diamond, The Fantastic Ferris Wheel, Goldenlocks and the Three Pirates, 19 Girls and Me, Margaret Wise Brown’s The Dirty Little Boy, Mrs. Wow never Wanted a Cow, and The Puppy Princess. Steven’s illustrations also appear in advertising, magazines, product packaging, and retail graphics. A graduate of Parson School of Design in NYC, he lives and works in Manhattan. Visit him at stevensalerno.com View titles by Steven Salerno

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About

Bedtime routines get a jolt of silliness and creativity when a dad and daughter face off in this timeless scenario.

When dad says it’s bedtime and his daughter strongly disagrees, her stuffy hilariously comes to her defense.

Lady Pigsworth is quick to point out the many ongoing projects that just can’t be abandoned, the danger of sleeping in a butterfly costume, the alarming spinach stuck in the girl's teeth, and more. Each over-the-top declaration of why it can’t possibly be bedtime yet leads the group through common bedtime routines in animated and heartwarming scenes—until Lady Pigsworth’s demands reach questionable heights, even to the little girl, so she takes matters into her own hands to get both of them into bed.

Dreamy illustrations and the hilarious Lady Pigsworth make for a perfect read-aloud that will leave any kid content to shut their eyes, at least for a little bit.

Author

© Rodrigo Cid
Pamela Paul is the editor of The New York Times Book Review and oversees book coverage at the Times, where she hosts the weekly Book Review podcast. She is the author of eight books, including My Life with Bob; How to Raise a Reader; By the Book; Parenting, Inc.; Pornified; The Starter Marriage and the Future of Matrimony; and Rectangle Time, a book for children. Prior to joining The New York Times, she was a contributor to Time and The Economist, and her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and Vogue. View titles by Pamela Paul
STEVEN SALERNO is the author/illustrator of 5 picture books: Coco the CarrotLittle Tumbo, Harry Hungry!, Wild Child, and Tim’s Goodbye. Steven has also illustrated 24 popular picture books for other authors, including, Brothers at Bat (a New York Times Book Review's Notable Picture Book of the Year), The Kid from Diamond, The Fantastic Ferris Wheel, Goldenlocks and the Three Pirates, 19 Girls and Me, Margaret Wise Brown’s The Dirty Little Boy, Mrs. Wow never Wanted a Cow, and The Puppy Princess. Steven’s illustrations also appear in advertising, magazines, product packaging, and retail graphics. A graduate of Parson School of Design in NYC, he lives and works in Manhattan. Visit him at stevensalerno.com View titles by Steven Salerno