Peace at Last by Jill Murphy

"The hour was late.

Mr Bear was tired,

Mrs Bear was tired

and

Baby Bear was tired ..."

Unfortunately, it is just too noisy for Mr Bear and he simply cannot fall asleep because Mrs Bear is snoring. He tries Baby Bear's room, but Baby Bear is pretending to be an aeroplane. In the living room the clock is ticking and then it goes cuckoo, cuckoo. In the kitchen there is a dripping tap and the hum of the refrigerator. Poor Mr Bear - he heads out to the garage but it is nearly morning and a whole host of other noises disturb him. Will he ever get any sleep?

This book is a fantastic one to read aloud to your youngest reading companion or young library group or in a preschool. Our library had a big book version of this book which was terrific because everyone in the group could see all the details in the illustrations.

The 45th Anniversary Edition of Peace at Last was published this year in 2025. There is an audio version of this book read by Anna Maxwell Martin (sorry I couldn't find a sample to share here). There are also lots of videos of this book but I suggest reading the actual print version before looking for a video. 

Bookseller blurb for the 45th Anniversary edition: Celebrate 45 years of Jill Murphy's bestselling classic Peace at Last with this special, shiny anniversary edition, including never-before-seen bonus material. An all-time favourite bedtime story, it has delighted generations of young readers, and is cherished by tired parents and carers, all too familiar with the plight of poor Mr Bear. Now with a shiny foil cover and bonus content! Enjoy sharing this enduring classic with loved ones and delve into the never-before-seen extra content showing Jill Murphy's process in creating Peace at Last. From early drafts to the final book, discover the magic of how a picture book is brought to life! With a snoring Mrs Bear, an excitable Baby Bear and a house full of tapping and dripping and ticking, peace is hard to come by - will Mr Bear ever get a decent night's sleep? The familiar noises, repetition and beautiful illustrations make this much-loved picture book the perfect story to read together.

I used to spend a long time talking about the very first page. 

What time of day is it? How do you know? Have you noticed the moon and the stars and the owl? Why did Jill Murphy add these to her illustration?

Why is the cat shaded white on one side?

What might be happening behind that one window where the lights are on?

Where do you think the bedrooms might be in this house? How does that possibly relate to the story?

What are those orange squares on the grass?

Jill Murphy is one of the UK’s most treasured author-illustrators and was the creator of many bestselling books for children, including the Bear Family picture books Peace at Last, Whatever Next! and Just One of Those Days which together have sold over four million copies worldwide. Born and raised in London, Jill spent her childhood writing and illustrating stories. She left school at sixteen and attended Chelsea, Croydon and Camberwell Schools of Art, writing her first novel, The Worst Witch, when she was just eighteen. It became an instant bestseller, launching an extraordinary publishing career that spanned almost five decades and over thirty children’s books. These include the Worst Witch novels and the award-winning Large Family series, which have each sold over five million copies, and the acclaimed Bear Family series, which includes both her first and last picture books, Peace at Last and Just One of Those Days, published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Jill’s books have won many major awards including The Smarties Prize and two commendations for the Kate Greenaway Medal and her work has been adapted for film and television, with the Large Family series becoming a successful animated series. The Worst Witch has also been adapted for television, film and theatre, becoming an Olivier Award-winning stage show.

Flubby will not go to sleep by JE Morris

Flubby acts part cat and part child, plus his human is trying their best to try and figure out what it is that this bundle of not sleepiness needs (a drink? A song? A blanket?) Cannonball Read

Have you met Flubby? I am not at all a cat person but I adore little Flubby. This is a book every toddler will relate to.  All those tactics to stall bedtime. Asking for a pillow, a blanket, a song, a snack.  Young readers who are just developing their reading confidence will be so proud when they discover they can read this whole book but as a bonus it is 32 pages of  sheer FUN!

A few deft pen strokes convey both cat’s and child’s emotions and the child’s increasing frustration. ... No flubs for this cat and kid. Just satisfying bedtime reading. Kirkus

I am always on the hunt for very simple books like this but they must contain terrific stories and that is a difficult combination. A new Flubby title will be released later this year - Flubby does not like snow. I also found the cover of Flubby does not like Valentine's Day but I cannot find any reference to the actual book. If you work in a school library I highly recommend (in fact I would like to insist) you purchase as many Flubby books as your budget allows. They are wonderful. Here is the web site for JE Morris. 

I would pair the Flubby series with this new Australian picture book:

The Prince's Bedtime by Joanne Oppenheim illustrated by Miriam Latimer

Five years ago I talked about The Prince's Breakfast. The Prince's Bedtime is actually the first installment.

Books that use rhyme often don't work or as my friend, who is far more expert than me would say, they don't scan well. I am happy to say this one does work. The rhyme is fun and the beat is not lost when you read the text aloud. My copy of this book (borrowed from a school library) was published in 2006 but there is a new edition of The Prince's Bedtime published in 2019 with an audio narrated by Hugh Bonneville.

Check out the rhyme:

"The first to arrive was a bearded physician
Who promised his medicine would cure the condition."

"But the Prince was so tickled he giggled all night
He laughed and he laughed at the ludicrous sight."

So how will they get this crazy Prince to sleep.  If you look at my post label - books and reading - you will have the answer.

Here is the website for Joanne Oppenheim and also for Miriam Latimer.

Here are some other books for older children about gathering help from across the kingdom to solve an issue:

The Seeing Stick

The Glassmakers daughter

The Minstrel and the Dragon Pup

The most wonderful thing in the world

You could pair The Prince's bedtime with these:

Finding Monkey Moon by Elizabeth Pulford illustrated by Kate Wilkinson

Every now and then a book reaches our library that is just so very special it makes me gasp out loud. Once again Bloomin Books have sent us a truly wonderful book.  Finding Monkey Moon is the perfect book for a young child.  It has a story young children will relate to, a moment of tension and a warm affirming resolution all captured through stunning illustrations.

It is bedtime.  Every night Michael and Monkey Moon head upstairs to bed but tonight his precious friend is missing.  Dad and Michael conduct an extensive search and then dad realizes Monkey Moon is probably down at the park so they put on their coats and head off into the dark night.

Here are some writing gems from this book

"their breath fluttering like moths in the cold air"
"His cry carried through the darkness and fell into the fold of quiet"

You might also enjoy Can't you sleep little bear by Martin Waddell, Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems and Sleep Tight Baboon bear by Bette Westera.  This might also give you the opportunity to revisit classic books like Corduroy, Ducky's nest and Where are you Blue Kangaroo?

Here is the web site for Elizabeth Pulford where you can see the impressive body of work by this New Zealand author.

Here is an illustration from this book which is the first by Kate Wilkinson.  You can find her web site here. I am also including an alternate cover which comes from the US.  I think it spoils the story - don't you?

Dragon loves penguin by Debi Gliori

The best stories of all are the ones we share with our loved ones.  Stories that relate to your own family such as the story of the day you were born. Dragon loves penguin is a story just like this. It is warm and affirming and has a most surprising twist at the end.

"Please ...' says Bib, 'can I have a story? The one about the dragons?'
'Oh, Bib,' sighs his mummy, 'just one story, and then it's night, night, sleep tight.'
'Don't let the frost bite' says Bib, snuggling in."

Perhaps these will become your new night time words...

What do penguins and dragons have in common?  They both lay eggs. At the end of winter one dragon has no egg.  The others have eggs of all sizes and colours.  The She Dragon flies away to the land of ice and snow where she discovers an egg but when it hatches this little one is quite different from all the others.

We have fifteen books by Debi Gliori in our school library.  I am not sure why I haven't included at least one in this blog.  I especially enjoy reading Penguin Post to our Grade One students.

You might also enjoy Fey Mouse by Hazel Edwards or Are you my mother? by PD Eastman or The Ugly Duckling.

Here is the author web site.

Humphrey's bear by Jan Wahl illustrated by William Joyce

As I read A boy and a bear in a boat I thought about Humphrey's bear.  There are links between these two books even though Humphrey's bear is aimed at a much younger audience.

This book also links with Sleep well, Little Bear.  Each evening when Humphrey goes to bed his bear takes him on wonderful adventures.  "As soon as Humphrey was asleep the bear grew big, as it always did, and took him by the hand. .. they sailed right out of the backyard."  They sail along whooshed by a nice wind and bear makes a cup of hot chocolate.  This reminds me of the hot chocolate in The Polar Express - thick and rich like melted chocolate bars.  Just as in Where the wild things are, Humphrey sails to a small island where "Humphrey found bear,and the moon outside and the hot chocolate inside warmed them."

As Humphrey heads off to bed right at the beginning of this book he over hears his father comment that Humphrey is surely too old to need this bear.  The last pages of this tender story will warm your heart.

Knock knock who's there by Sally Grindley illustrated by Anthony Browne

If someone says knock knock to you I am sure you would reply who's there?  This is the premise of this very clever book with its perfect illustrations by Anthony Browne.'

A little girl is in bed with her large teddy bear when there is a knock on the door. A voice from the other side says "I'm a great big gorilla with far furry arms and huge white teeth and when you let me in I'm going to hug your breath away!"  Yes it does sound scary so the little girl says "Then I won't let you in!".

This pattern continues with a witch, ghost, giant, and dragon all knocking on the door. Finally her dad arrives with a cup of hot chocolate and a story to tell.

When you find this book in your library go back and look carefully at the slippers, the wall paper and the little hints around each door frame.  If I was collecting books to show how young children grow and develop in their understanding of plot this is the perfect example. When I read this book to Kindergarten they have all sorts of explanations about those slippers and the 'scary' characters at the door.  It is a very rare child at this age who realizes that the dad has just been using his voice in a game with his daughter.

This is a book I adore reading aloud to Kindergarten.  They all participate in the repeated refrain and enjoy the sense of tension and release when her dad finally arrives at the door with that hot chocolate.

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood illustrated by Renata Liwska

A few months ago a friend, who is also a bookseller, told me about The Quiet Book. The title only partly tells you about this special book. Inside it is truly magical.

It is a series of little scenes from early morning until late at night showing all the times we experience quiet and all the ways we experience it too.

Here are some :

Coloring in the lines quiet

Last one to get picked up from school quiet

Making a wish quiet

Best friends don’t need to talk quiet

Before the concert starts quiet

Story time quiet

Bedtime kiss quiet

“What flashlight?” quiet

Sound asleep quiet

The illustrations depict quirky little animals like bears, a porcupine, moose and rabbit all done in soft brown and grey tones with an occasional tiny touch of colour.

This book would make wonderful gift for a young child and it is a perfect book to share with that same young child either quietly or with some gentle conversation about each scene.

Stylish, funny, yet sympathetic, this should be a popular bedtime book. Quill and Quire

It is in our school library along with the companion volume The Loud Book. You might also enjoy The Important book and Another Important book by Margaret Wise Brown and If you listen by Charlotte Zolotow.