Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Two teens originally from Mumbai--troublemaker Zarin (a half-Hindu and -Parsi girl) and Porus (a Parsi boy)--die in a car accident in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Told from their points of view before and after death, together with the narratives of local Muslim teenagers, this novel about the constraints of gender, sexual assault, and family conflicts in a theocratic world is complex and multifaceted. Glos.

Kirkus Reviews

Can this quirky pair of friends stay up all night?Ironic counterpoint abounds in this humorous picture book, which sees the eponymous characters rejecting typical bedtime-book activities and accoutrements through speech-balloon text, as all the while humorous, expressive, digital illustrations doggedly present them. For example, "There is no room for toothbrushing and bath time in this book" exclaims Penguin, but a prior picture on the dedication page shows them brushing their teeth after tracking bathwater across the floor to the sink. Yes, the anthropomorphic bird and crustacean have teeth, and that's just one of the silly elements of this very silly anti-bedtime book. They also declare "there is nothing about big soft beds" in the book even as they jump on just such a bed. In a shift away from irony, they rejoice when fireworks suddenly appear to bolster their anti-bedtime stance. This moment instigates a series of adventures for the pair and an increasingly large group of sidekicks, all resisting sleep as they swing from vines, fly in hot air balloons, and so on. After introducing a "Uni-Hippo" (because, why not?), they insist, "One thing this book will never do is make you tired….This book will never make you yawn," as the pictures once again contradict the text, depicting the once-boisterous animals yawning hugely and heading to bed. A definite do for bedtime. (Picture book. 3-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Never mind that Penguin is wearing jammies and Little Shrimp a sleeping cap; the two let readers know up front that -this is not a bedtime book- and -we don-t do bedtime!- Relayed entirely through speech balloons, the story is propelled by Penguin-s flippant dismissal of bedtime rituals (-You won-t catch us with sleepy sheep or wishing stars-) and his diminutive sidekick-s snappy quips (-Sayonara, Sheep!- says Tiny Shrimp to a herd of sheep expecting to be counted). Debut author Berry revs up her romp as the duo evades with gusto, leaping into a sky illuminated by fireworks, running from a lion in the Serengeti, swinging from vines in the rain forest, and sailing through shark-infested waters. Animals from each escapade join the cast to expand the menagerie, and all stage a raucous sing-along that-s cut short by yawns and drooping eyelids-despite Penguin-s assertion that -This book will never make you yawn.- He-s likely right: the digital art from Santoso (Peanut Butter & Aliens)-highlighted by comical images of the wide-eyed, open-mouthed title characters-energizes Berry-s tactically understated text, often wryly turning it on its head. A buoyantly subversive antibedtime tale. Ages 5-8. Author-s agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary. Illustrator-s agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (May)

School Library Journal (Tue May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

PreS-Gr 1 This may look like a bedtime book but it's not, and Penguin and Tiny Shrimp want readers to know this from the start. They might be dressed in pajamas, have just brushed their teeth, and may even be bouncing on a squishy cozy bed but they have no interest in sleep. They don't have time for sheep or stars, they want to run and jump and play; their eyelids are heavy but they still want to tell jokes and have a party. In the end they fall asleep, just as kids might guess, in that big cozy bed. Considering the sea of bedtime books in existence, the plot and the text doesn't stand out all that much. The digital illustrations resemble colored pencil and are the highlight of the book. VERDICT An additional purchase for large libraries or those looking to add to their sleepytime collections. Shana Shea, Windsor Public Library, CT