Picture Book #14

Title:  Once upon a time, the End (asleep in 60 seconds)

Author:  Geoffrey Kloske

Illustrator:  Barry Blitt

Genre:  Children's Fantasy Fiction 

Subgenre:  Early Reader Traditional Literature/Folktales and Legends

Themes:  traditional folktales, trying to be put to sleep, being read a story before bed

Primary and Secondary Characters: characters in traditional tales, a son and his father

Awards:  Gold Award Winner by the National Parenting Publications Awards, Virginia Readers' Choice Award Master List

Date of Publication:  2005

Publishing Company:  An Anne Schwartz Book/Atheneum Books For Young Readers

Summary:

This fun book features a twist on classic folktales that we all know too well.  This semi-poetic book's purpose is to be able to put children to sleep, and in a record time of 60 seconds!  A father is trying to desperately put his son to sleep, who is constantly asking for "just one more story."  His father then speed reads through classics (that have been altered to be shorter) such as "chicken little," "small girl, red hood," "sleeping beauty," and last but not least, "hickory, dickory dock."  Each tale ends with it's own personal saying of "go to bed."  Finally, (as the father wishes) his son falls asleep as he reads the classic line, "and they all lived..."  The funny catch to it though is that not only did the boy fall asleep, but the father passed out too!

How it will be used in the classroom:
If I had students in pre-k or even children in a daycare that were required to take naps, this would be a great story to read them to sleep!  But, for students that were in grades 2-4, it would be fun for them to make a classic tale and change it the way the author has.  They could put their own twists on stories, along with using their creativity to make up a new one!