Bubba and Beau Go Night-Night

Appelt, Kathi. 2003. BUBBA AND BEAU GO NIGHT-NIGHT. Ill. by Arthur Howard. San Diego: Harcourt. ISBN 0152045937 [Suggested Grade Levels PreK-2]

SUMMARY and ANALYSIS
In this humorous picture book, Bubba, a baby, and Beau, a puppy, love to “go bye-bye”, but they strongly resist going “night-night”. By day, they enjoy an adventuresome ride around town with Big Bubba in his truck named “Earl”. By night, the same ride lures them to sleep. Mama Pearl tries everything to get them to “go night-night”, but only the rumble of Earl’s engine does the trick. Bubba and Beau are parallel characters who experience every event together. Beau even has his own car seat in the pickup truck.

Howard’s watercolor cartoon illustrations are cheery and inviting. His use of line effectively draws the motion of Bubba and Beau’s action-packed day. Appelt’s light-hearted text compliments Howard’s illustrations perfectly. The rhythm of the story rolls right along with the babies on their outing. Playful repetition of the letter “B” keeps the reader’s ear craving more. Especially fun is the author’s use of the word “bob”. Bubba and Beau listen to KBOB on the radio, shoot the breeze with Jim Bob, Roy Bob, and Billy Bob outside the Feed and Seed, and declare, “No siree, Bob!” in response to going “night-night”. It is nearly impossible to read this book aloud without adding a little “twang” to your voice. Although the location of the setting is not explicitly mentioned, careful observers will notice the subtle inclusion of the Texas state flag and a pair of longhorns adorning Earl’s cab.

CONNECTIONS
Children could think of all the places in their town that they would like to visit all in one day. They could draw pictures of where they would go and what they would do there. Encourage them to imagine the people they would meet and the conversations they would have while on their adventure.

Ask children to think about the sounds in the story. Read it to them a few times and help them pick out various repetitive letter and word sounds (for example, “Feed and Seed” or the letter “B” in “Yep, going bye-bye was better than butter on toast.”). Let them make up their own sentences using alliteration.

RELATED BOOKS
Other stories about bedtime:
Dunbar, Joyce. TELL ME SOMETHING HAPPY BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP. ISBN 015201795X
Hest, Amy. KISS GOOD NIGHT. ISBN 0763607800
Yolen, Jane. HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY GOODNIGHT? ISBN 0590316818

Other books by Kathi Appelt about Bubba and Beau:
BUBBA AND BEAU, BEST FRIENDS. ISBN 0152020608

By Amy D. Picard