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.

Over and Over by MH Clark illustrated by Beya Rebai

"And all the while, we'll watch the clouds change, making rabbits and fish in the sky. 
They will never quite look this way again, and neither will you or I."

This is a beautifully illustrated book that falls into a category I previous discussed - Poetry with Pictures. There is no real plot just a series of slightly philosophical statements or homilies. The words are also a series of wisdoms shared by an adult to their child. I put one of my favourite lines under the cover above.

"Over and over, the sun will rise and touch the sky above. And over and over you'll open your eyes, good morning to you, my love."

"Over and over we'll put on our shoes and our coats and our warm wool hats. And I'll open the door to the world with you. And we'll greet the day like that."

From the publisher: In a world marked by uncertainty, this reassuring tale celebrates the gentle rituals that ground a child’s day. Over and Over follows a young girl and her father as they enjoy life’s simple everyday pleasures—from sitting down for breakfast to gazing at the clouds to counting the stars before lying down to sleep. With poetic storytelling and captivating imagery, each page honors the calming magic of togetherness and the comforts in routine. 

And we will leave angels and footprints and tracks in the field, all gone sparkling and white.

Near the end of the book the pages fold out to reveal all four seasons. 

Here is a very detailed interview with the author MH Clark and the illustrator Beya Rebai. Read more about MH Clark and see inside other books here. See more art by French illustrator Beta Rebai here. 

There are other books in this series by MH Clark:

And I found these too - I am keen to see more of her work:

Mr Duck Means Business by Tammi Sauer illustrated by Jeff Mack

Mr Duck has his fixed routine which he follows every day. At 6.00am he spends an hour stretching; at 7.00am he spends another hour fluffing his feathers; and at 8.01am he glides across his peaceful, still, quiet lake. Day after day, week after week, and year after year he follows this pattern and he his happy.

BUT of course every good story needs a complication. Oh no here comes Pig. It is a hot day and she would like a swim in the pond. Then along comes Cow and she is huge and also hot. If that was not bad enough lots of other farm animals jump in too.

"Mr. Duck sputtered. He muttered. He tail-a-fluttered."

"Mr. Duck grumbled. He mumbled. He flip-flop-fumbled."

"Mr Duck tapped. He flapped. He totally snapped."

He orders everyone out of his pond. Now he can go back to his quiet daily routine but of course something is missing. Problem - solution. 

With an older group of children it would be good to talk about the title - is duck mean? Is his business meaningful? How did he discover his life needed to change? Is there a 'lesson' in this story? What do you think the author is trying to tell us? Is it okay to spend time alone? 

Sauer’s dour and disciplined duck and his rhyming hissy fits will most definitely entertain. Mack’s furry and feathered wide-eyed animals rendered in ebullient acrylic are a great match for this fine farmyard fable. Kirkus

It can be fun just to browse the shelves of a library - that is how I found this fun book which would be perfect to share with a preschool group. 

Do you ever stop to read the dedications in a book?  The one in this book by Jeff Mack is quite curious - "For Broccoli Kallock". I wonder if there is someone out in the world with "Broccoli" as their first name? Here is a web site for Jeff Mack and one for Tammi Sauer where you can see their other books. 

Moon by Alison Olver

Moon lives an over scheduled life. Homework, soccer, trumpet, tutoring, "stuff and more stuff blah blah blah." Moon completes her tasks diligently but she questions the pattern of her life.

"What would it feel like to be free?
To run. To yell. To be wild. 
Can you learn to be wild?"

One evening Moon finds some footprints outside and in her garden she finds a wolf. The wolf offers Moon a ride and the pair set off into the forest. Moon has a wonderful evening of freedom. She learns to pounce and howl but the most special thing she discovers is "how to be still. How to listen and feel."

Image Source Blog Unleashing Readers

This is an exquisite book and one you could share many times with a young child. I wanted to stroke the wolf - his fur looks so inviting and soft.  Here is a set of discussion questions.

With its simple text and stunning illustrations, Moon is a lovely celebration of play, nature, and the revitalizing affect that embracing our inner wild can have on our well-being. Happily ever Elephants

This marvelous book is an invitation for us to look tonature to remember who we are and to realize the best life has to offerus.  Moon written and illustrated byAlison Oliver will have readers howling during and after story time. Librarian’sQuest

Alison Oliver has just published a companion volume to Moon - appropriately called Sun. I have added it to my too read list.

Alison Oliver has created truly special illustrations for Moon. Take a look at her web site - Sugar.

I would pair Moon with a Australian book Ella and the Ocean because this is also a book about the way experiences can alter our mind set and world view.

Bogtrotter by Margaret Wild illustrated by Judith Rossell

Bogtrotter is good fun but at the same time it raises some interesting questions.  It has been selected for the CBCA Notable list for 2016.  Take a look at some of the subjects I have listed for this book :

Boredom
Isolation
Philosophy
Mindfulness
Companionship
Happiness


Bogtrotter lives a life defined by routine.  Every day is exactly the same as the one before until one day frog asks the first of a series of profound questions :

Question One
"Why do you run all day long?"

Question Two
"Don't you ever do anything new and different?"

And much later possibly the most important, even life changing, question :
Question Three
"Do you ever run outside the bog?"

After the first two questions Bogtotter sees new things in his environment - flowers, a family of muskrats, a tree branch just perfect for swinging, a family of ducks and even the delight of a dance in the summer rain.  Sadly though something is missing from his life.  Take some time now to look in his little home.  There are pictures of other bogtrotters on his wall or are they of this bogtrotter?

Our friend the bogtrotter is quite an endearing character.  Look at his eyes - these beautifully reflect his emotions. Now look at the way he moves. Judith Rossell shows such lively movement through her joyous illustrations.

Here is a review in our magazine Reading Time.  Here are a set of very useful teaching notes from the publisher.  Judith Rossell's book Withering-by-sea is a firm favourite in our school library.

It might be good to pair Bogtrotter with The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek - this is a delightful book to read aloud and also deals with isolation, identity and important philosophical questions.

We always enjoy sharing books by Margaret Wild with the students in our school.  In fact she has one whole shelf in our library.  With our youngest students I especially love to read Lucy Goosey, Puffling, Little Humpty and Miss Lilly's fabulous pink feather boa.

Rain Reign by Ann M Martin

"If you can read, you'll love this book."  

This is the claim on the front cover and it is so true as are the words in the quotes below.

I have wanted to read Rain Reign for months so I was excited on Friday when it was returned by the student who donated it to our school library.  I wonder if she read it?  I certainly did.  I read this whole book in one sitting very late into the night.

Rose is a very special girl.  She lives with her Dad but she needs to be careful of his moods and temper.  One night he brings home a stray dog.  Rose names him Rain because it is raining when he arrives and because Rose loves homonyms.  Rain, reign and rein.

"I am the only student in my class who's interested in homonyms.  ... Homonyms can be surprising and fun, and that's why I started a list of them."

Rose relies on routines and rules.  She loves her dog Rain and her wonderful uncle Weldon who lives on the other side of their town but the balance of her life changes with the arrival of Hurricane Susan.

"In our yard two trees have fallen, the birch and the elm... the water is so deep that it's flowed over its banks and flooded both the road and the lower part of our yard. ...I turn around wondering whether it's okay to wake my father... I'm about to knock on his door when I realize that I haven't seen (scene) Rain."

This is a heart-breaking and affirming story.  Ann M Martin has written a wonderful book.  Rose is a truly memorable and special girl.  I give this book ten out of ten.

You might like to use this simple trailer.

You might also enjoy So. Be. It., Wonder, Rules by Cynthia Lord, My life as an alphabet, Counting by 7s and Looking for X by Deborah Ellis.

Rain is a wonderful friend to Rose.  If you love books about dogs you could try Because of Winn Dixie, One dog and his boy and Shiloh.

What Martin has created here is an impeccable character study of a kid who sees the world a bit differently than most, and masterfully shows how those around her are affected by her uniquenesses.

Martin has penned a riveting, seamless narrative in which each word sings and each scene counts.