Children's Books: 10 Minutes to Bedtime Review
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10 Minutes to Bedtime Review


10 Minutes to Bedtime  Manufacturer: Puffin
Author(s): Peggy Rathmann

ISBN: 0142400246    EAN: 9780142400241
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 48
Reading Level: Ages 4-8

Average Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Retail Price: $6.99
Online Sale Price: $6.99
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It’s almost bedtime! At 1 Hoppin Place the fun begins when a family of hamsters—with ten offspring wearing jerseys numbered from one to ten—arrives at the door. There are only ten minutes left, and there’s still so much to do! But with the help of the Hamsters’ 10-Minute Bedtime Tour (guided by his own pet hamster), the little boy is able to get his toys put away, his pajamas on, his teeth brushed, and his bedtime story read—all in the nick of time. This lively introduction to bedtime rituals and the concept of counting backwards will have young readers eagerly awaiting their own countdown to bedtime.


User Submitted 10 Minutes to Bedtime Reviews


November 2, 2008
Excellent children's book
This is in our Top 10 of children's books, and we highly recommend it for families of kids age 3 and up. Makes a great gift, and companion to Rathmann's other new classic, Goodnight, Gorilla. Helps kids develop the ability to interpret the story visually, without lots of text; encourages counting, I Spy searches...and yeah, it's a hoot.

October 27, 2008
I am ordering multiples of this book...
I found this book charming and my daughter begs me for it even today when she is far too old for this... 11 going on cool.
We spend time together, exploring the treasures on each page: and time is the treasure most loved by children.
There are funny little quirks and visual jokes, and children need to laugh and look for the humor in life.
There are references to Ms. Rathmann's other beloved books: 'Goodnight Gorilla' and 'Officer Buckle and Gloria' and a distracted parent whose hair matches the son's and Number 2 hamster's.
The humor is quirky, the illustration is marvelous. The story arises from the imagination and the amount of time you put into it.
A valuable addition to your bedtime library.

February 15, 2008
Excellent for early readers!!
This is an excellent book for kids - especially those just starting to get into books. There is minimal language, but definitely a story and an exciting picture on every page. There are 10 hamsters, each with their own 'persona' and an ant that you can hunt for (like the mouse in Goodnight Moon) - kids love the search and find aspect and they are excited with each turn of the page. They can easily recognize and remember the dialogue so they can 'read' the book too. I think it is a great, great book - also a wonderful gift.

February 12, 2008
controlled (and giggly) chaos!
The brilliance of this book lies in the tiny details and the chaotic, then calm, nature of bedtime.
As the hamsters accompany the child on his bedtime routine, brushing teeth, pajamas, some are imitating our spiky haired hero, watch for one hamster with similar spiky hair parroting the movements of the child, and some are into a little mischief. Each page is packed with activity, and a parent can ask the open ended question, "what do you see" to dramatic effect. I read one review of a parent with an 18 month old who did not seem to `get' the book. He noted that all he could do was to point and say, "this one is brushing his teeth" etc. but I argue that the teaching aspect of this work lies not in the parent's view, but in the child's. Rather than telling the child what is on the page, ask an open-ended question. "which hamster is your favorite? "what do you see? What is happening on this page?" True, there is some effect of a "Where's Waldo" nature in that the page is absolutely packed with details. But, my 5 year old delights in these details, shouting, "look at this one. No...no...no.. look at this one". Each pose, each activity, adds to the bedlam and the giggle factor at my house. Cries of "don't turn the page yet!" are heard with some regularity as reading uncovers something new. It should be noted that by the book's end, the chaos has diminished so much so that the child of the book, and possibly your own child, are ready for bedtime at last. The mental equivalent of running around the yard prior to a nap to tire the child. 5 stars!


February 7, 2008
I don't get it . . . More importantly, neither does my daughter.
My wife and I received Good Night Gorilla as a baby gift. We instantly loved it, but it wasn't until I read it to my daughter that its magic became apparent. Since she was only a few months old I've put her to sleep with it. She's now 18 months and I still read it to her at least a few times per week. Of all her books, it is the one she chooses to read by far the most often. And it's such a sweet, simple story. I have at least as much fun reading it to her as she has listening, I'm sure.

So my wife and I were very excited when we ordered our next Peggy Rathman book. Unfortunately, when it came we were unimpressed. The story is more strange than sweet. In fact, the biggest problem with it is that there really is no story to tell. All I can do when I'm reading it to my daughter is point to the dozens of random and uninteresting things all the hamsters are doing and explain it. "He's kicking a ball, and he's brushing his teeth, and he's fishing, and he's climbing the ladder, and he's swimming, and he's driving a car, and he's . . . etc." My daughter is not interested in it. I don't blame her.

Perhaps Good Night Gorilla is a work of such utter brilliance that I am unfairly judging this book by a standard it couldn't possibly hope to meet. I don't think so, though. Maybe I wouldn't be quite so disappointed with it if I hadn't been first exposed to the masterpiece that is Good Night Gorilla, but even on its own I think that this book is simply not very good. A little bad, even.

January 12, 2008
What a delight!
What a delightful discovery this is. The illustrations are the story, and they provide such clever humor to a simple idea. It is a joy for parents and grandparents to share this with small readers and non-readers alike.

December 22, 2007
Ten minutes till all is quiet
This is a really fun book, and the highlight of it is the incredible detail in the illustrations. They really are packed with little things to find, which is great for me because my daughter can't read yet (she's three), so the pictures are the main thing she's interested in.

If you don't already have it, "Good Night Gorilla" from the same author also has the little things going on in the background, and is absolutely hilarious. That's important when you are on your fifth reading, or your fiftieth.

Good Night, Gorilla

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November 7, 2007
Love the Hamsters
My 15 mo old loves this book. He enjoys pointing at all the little activities the hamsters are doing. It's a wonderful book to wind down the day with or for my son to flip through on his own. Recommended by my sister-in-law and I would recommend to everyone.

September 17, 2007
A Must For Your Child's Library
10 Minutes Till Bedtime is such a wonderful book. Aside from accurately reflecting the rituals every child goes through before actually getting to sleep, it is filled with lively imaginative hamsters and their accessories that will keep you guessing, laughing and loving this book for years to come. It is the perfect companion to Goodnight, Gorilla (and you can find the cast from Goodnight, Gorilla in 10 Minutes Till Bedtime, they live next door!) Also, your child will love trying to count to 11, while finding all the little hamsters with the numbers on their shirts. I buy this and Goodnight, Gorilla for baby gifts, and have never had a complaint. Bravo Peggy Rathmann!

August 26, 2007
Awesome!
This book is great! The illustrations are amazing! They are so fun, detailed, and creative. Everytime you open this book up you notice something new that you never saw before.


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