Questions, Questions

Booklist Reviews Bertie At Bedtime:

Bertie and his father may be hippos, but this story of getting a child fed and ready for bed is universal and familiar. At first, young Bertie doesn’t want to eat supper because he is busy playing. Dad says he will play with Bertie after supper and toothbrushing, and he keeps his promise chasing Bertie, giving him a fun bath, and playing hide-and-seek. After three books (including classics such as Good Night, Hippo) and a quick succession of bedtime dances, at least one hippo is ready for bed: Dad. Pfister’s hippos are an irresistible pair, full of sweetness and life. Although Pfister uses a single floral pattern for wallpaper, flooring, furniture, and clothes, he keeps the art from becoming boring by running the pattern through vivid and appealing shades of purple, blue, green, pink, and orange. The book’s last spread is a charmer: as Dad lies curled up on a bundle of blankets and pillows, Bertie cuddles up close. “Good night, Daddy,” he says. “Tomorrow we can play some more.”

Booklist Reviews Bertie At Bedtime:

Bertie and his father may be hippos, but this story of getting a child fed and ready for bed is universal and familiar. At first, young Bertie doesn’t want to eat supper because he is busy playing. Dad says he will play with Bertie after supper and toothbrushing, and he keeps his promise chasing Bertie, giving him a fun bath, and playing hide-and-seek. After three books (including classics such as Good Night, Hippo) and a quick succession of bedtime dances, at least one hippo is ready for bed: Dad. Pfister’s hippos are an irresistible pair, full of sweetness and life. Although Pfister uses a single floral pattern for wallpaper, flooring, furniture, and clothes, he keeps the art from becoming boring by running the pattern through vivid and appealing shades of purple, blue, green, pink, and orange. The book’s last spread is a charmer: as Dad lies curled up on a bundle of blankets and pillows, Bertie cuddles up close. “Good night, Daddy,” he says. “Tomorrow we can play some more.””

Marcus Pfister was born in Bern, Switzerland. After studying at the Art School of Bern, he apprenticed as a graphic designer and worked in an advertising agency before becoming self-employed in 1984. His debut picture book, The Sleepy Owl, was published by NorthSouth Books in 1986, but his big breakthrough came six years later with The Rainbow Fish. Today Marcus has illustrated over fifty books, which have been translated into more than fifty languages and received countless international awards. He lives with his wife, Debora, and his children in Bern.