Blink your way through to bedtime bliss with this creative challenge for reluctant little ones trying to dodge the evening's end. A saucer-eyed gray owl commands: "Don't blink!" because if you do, you'll have to turn the page. Impossible? Try staring for a long time without blinking. Still have to blink? Try staring at this elephant. (It's an optical illusion drawn with a confusing and intentionally tricky number of legs.) Another ploy is to stare at a grid of circles that result in headache-producing swirls. The frustrated owl says "Dang!" and "Holy pillow puffs!" as he suggests first squinting, then covering one eye, and then a final foolproof solution: if you "just close both eyes" then you can't possibly blink! Eventually no one can help but blink their way to nighttime slumber. The simple graphic-designed artwork uses varied fonts and font sizes, bright colors done in ink, pen, and watercolor, and appealing, suspenseful page turns to illustrate popular Rosenthal's spot-on humor in this interactive bedtime pleaser for parents and kids alike.

Even before the title page, the book presents readers with a challenge: "DON'T BLINK!"The narrator—personified as a bigheaded gray owl—explains the challenge at the very beginning of this picture book: if (child) readers can avoid getting to the end of the book, then they can avoid bedtime. There is, unfortunately, one caveat. Each time readers blink, they have to turn the page. The narrator of this interactive picture book comes up with several plans to help readers avoid blinking and, consequently, turning the page. These suggestions range from parsing optical illusions and dizzying spirals to staring "at the person next to you" and squinting. It is ironic that each new suggestion occurs on a new page, steadily leading readers toward the end of the picture book. In one particularly clever moment, a flurry of blinks takes readers from Page 23 to Page 46 in one turn. As the implied readers get sleepier and sleepier, the owl narrator subtly modifies the narrative by suggesting that readers first try shutting one eye, then both eyes—so long as they don't fall asleep!—in order to avoid turning the page. Rosenthal and Roberts' innovative picture book, with its purportedly helpful text and solid images in mostly black, white, and gray, gently prepares young readers to sleep even as it seemingly gives children the option of staying awake. A light read that will make bedtime playful—and perhaps more alluring—for young readers. (Picture book. 4-7)

Bedtime-delayers are offered a simple deal in this clever interactive book by the late Rosenthal: -If you can avoid getting to the end of this book, you can avoid bedtime.- The catch is that with every blink, a page must be turned. Seeing that the reader needs some assistance to keep from blinking, a no-nonsense owl helpfully suggests a series of strategies for keeping one-s eyes open. Staring intensely is recommended; optical illusions are offered. But when readers are prompted to get all their blinks out in one super fast attempt, the result is a 23-page leap that brings readers dangerously close to the end, compelling Owl to propose the last possible alternative: leave both eyes closed. Roberts-s illustrations are spare but effective, with Owl-s big personality and expressive fonts (the word -blurry- actually looks blurry) commanding attention on each page. Set against a white backdrop, Owl starts out wide-eyed, with fatigue-s progression marked by pages that gradually darken and eyelids that eventually droop. With her signature wit, humor, and creativity, Rosenthal slyly encourages even the most stubborn of bedtime avoiders to drift off to sleep. Ages 3-7. Author-s agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency. Illustrator-s agent: Christine Isteed, Artists Partners. (Apr.)