When Skoz finds himself in a small boat in the middle of the ocean, he′s got not one, but two big problems: How′s he going to get home? And what′s he going to do about THAT SHARK?

′We knew Skoz was special, but we never dreamed he′d be famous. In fact, he was the one who did all the dreaming, usually when he was walking out the front gate!′ — Skoz′s mum

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Great for 7-10 year olds

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Oh, darling, said Mum

Did you do that?  said Dad.

Very exciting.  Hopefully you’ll have an oh darling moment when you have a look at it, too.

How I Do It came to be…

Andrew Daddo thanks his youngest daughter for ‘I Do It’. Says Andrew ‘She’s a beautiful, headstrong three year old who has always been very good at exerting her independence. She can, as the book suggests, do it. Anything, everything – whether it’s getting a glass of milk or choosing her clothes or going for the most colourful (and heaviest) bowling ball – she does it. It’s what I love about children of this age…. that they can and may well try just about anything. Having said that, it’s not a story of self-empowerment. There is no moral here, no message and certainly no lesson. It’s just about a girl who thinks she can, and to me, that’s as beautiful and perfect as every three year old can be.’

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For a fun and relaxing bedtime read for the very young or young at heart, you can’t beat Goodnight, Me. As any parent knows, bedtime can be tricky. Although we try to make it a quick, painless end to the day, most children are experts at stretching bedtime rituals. In this cute yet simple book, our main character, an anthropomorphized primate, makes the most of those few extra moments before sleep takes hold.

How Goodnight, Me came to be…

One night, instead of reading a story to my son Felix, he asked if I would tell him one from my mouth.  I couldn’t think of a thing. Nothing.  So I said, ‘Say “goodnight to your feet.”‘  which he did.  

So I said, ‘Say “goodnight to your knees.”‘ And he did that, too.  
Quickly, the two of us said goodnight to the rest of his body, kisses here and hugs there and I raced off to a quiet spot and wrote what would become one of my favourite books. 

What you’ve had to say about Goodnight, Me

As in the classic favorite Goodnight, Moon, our little friend delays bedtime. But instead of saying goodnight to the things in the room, he/she takes it up a notch by wishing goodnight to him/herself. Starting with the feet (that run around all day) and moving to other regions of the body, relaxation is taken to a whole new level. Parents will appreciate the short, simple text, while children will delight in the soothing yet amusing illustrations.

This precocious orangutan is depicted in typical childlike poses. From thumb-sucking to hiding under the covers, even the youngest child can relate. Done in soothing shades of purples and blues, the fantastic imagery reflects a calming bedroom scene.

When all is said and done and the kids are tucked in tight, don’t be surprised if you find yourself echoing the book’s sentiment just before your own head hits the pillow: “Goodnight, Me.”

 Niki Schoenfeldt/2008 for curled up with a good kid’s book    www.curledupkids.com/

Sylvia Peters

Canada

This is terrific. As good as Goodnight Moon- maybe better, and I know that’s a big thing to say. But my kids love it, even the eight year old. It’s a must have for kids who a wrigglers at bedtime.

Megan Cornall

Canada

This is such a sweet book about a little monkey saying goodnight to his body. The art work is also adorable. A wonderful buy, as far as I am concerned.

The monkey says goodnight to every part of his body in this book until he goes to sleep. Alexander loves this book, even Nicky sat still to look at this one as we read it. Very sweet illustrations, plus A could relate to the picture where the monkey is sucking his thumb. (  )

  Barbara Hyman from Sydney, Australia

Changed my life…

This book really has changed our lives. Every night we read our little girl three books, but after the last book she always wanted another. Then we found Goodnight, Me- it is the PERFECT last book before bedtime because it gets her ready for sleep. Andrew Daddo writes for older kids as well, but this is his best book. He should do more picture books. The drawings are gorgeous.

Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

This delightful book has a quiet cadence similar to Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon (HarperCollins, 1947) as a child winds down from a busy day. After being tucked in by a loving parent, a young orangutan lies in bed and bids a loving goodnight to each body part: “Goodnight, feet. Thanks for running me around today” and “Legs, get some rest. We’ve got a lot of jumping to do tomorrow.” After a kiss on the forehead from the parent, the youngster heads off to sleep: “Goodnight, me. See you in the morning.” Using a mix of pencil, acrylic paints, and watercolors, Quay has created uncluttered spreads that focus on the highlighted body parts. The colors are as soothing as the gentle text: soft purple backgrounds, muted white bedding, and a warm shade of orange for the orangutan. The protagonist’s face is expressive and childlike. Sure to ease tired readers toward sleep, this offering is perfect for bedtime or pajama storytimes.—

Simply delightful.

How Cheeky Monkey Came to be…

Cheeky Monkey came from one end or other of the kitchen bench.

‘My wife Jac and I were laughing about all the names people call their kids,’ Andrew says ‘the way some are cute and some are cuddly and some are plain ridiculous. Then Jac suggested it’d be a good idea for a book, because we could put all the names we use for our own kids, and the names our friends use for theirs, into one collection.

‘SIMPLE-but then, the pain… the narrative… the logic… And how would the pictures work? What should they look like? Would they be a girl or a boy? And would that be Mum or Dad with them- or both? And it went from being pretty simple to exhausting, especially for the illustrator, Emma. Having said that, the book is gorgeous, we’re all really happy with it and we’ve slipped in our favourite names as well!’

‘We’re getting a … family makeover. Cool huh? And we’re here to do the “before” shots. Then we’re going to a health farm for a week, and coming back for the “after”. What do you reckon?’ Her smile dulled slowly as she saw the three laughing clowns in front of her, each waiting for a ping-pong ball in the mouth. Leroy and Candy were still grinning.
‘But why? Cranked Dad.
‘What’s wrong with us?’ I said.
‘Who needs a makeover?’ Kylie had her arms folded across her chest.

Ash and Kylie’s mum is a total embarrassment. She writes a column for the local paper about pet care – even though the family doesn’t own a pet. Then, when Ash and Kylie have a fight about their muffin tops, their mother has a great idea about doing a family makeover for the paper. She wants them to feature in a double page spread featuring before and after photos.

Before Ash knows what’s happening, he finds himself at the Natural Spiritual Health and Wellness Centre. Mum’s in her element, with massages and mud baths and plenty of opportunities for deep inner work, but the rest of the family aren’t so sure. Can they survive a whole week of wheatgrass and yoga?

Muffin Top is a funny novel for upper primary aged children about family togetherness, body image and self awareness. Whilst it’s mostly just good fun, it also has a healthy message about liking yourself as you are.