Good Night, Toucan

This sweet and funny bedtime book explores how friendship is more important than material items.

Toucan is having a sleepover for all of his friends, and he's so excited! But his friends are even MORE excited, and they are sure it's going to be the BEST SLEEPOVER EVER. Poor Toucan is worried that he won't be able to make his sleepover special. So he sets off into the forest to find the YUMMIEST berries, the SOFTEST blankets, and the BIGGEST flowers. But on his way back to his house, disaster strikes, and Toucan loses all of the treasures he collected. Is the sleepover ruined?A flustered toucan plans a party.

Toucan invites his friends Tiger, Sloth, Frog, and Monkey to a sleepover. They are beyond excited. In fact, they declare, “It’s going to be the best sleepover ever!” This makes Toucan nervous. He wasn’t prepared for all of that pressure! He desperately flies into the jungle, searching for something that will make his party better. He fills his beak with flowers for decorations (only the biggest and most colorful, of course), finds fluffy ferns for cozy seating, and picks a tasty bunch of bananas for a treat. Then, he spies fireflies. Their twinkling lights would make the perfect ambiance! But he’s already struggling to hold everything that he has gathered. Beads of sweat, furrowed brows, and wings beating furiously show Toucan’s great effort. Is the party worth all of this suffering? Partis nimbly builds Toucan’s growing need to please, finding more and more items throughout the jungle while never believing it will be enough. An unfortunate dunk in the river leads to a dripping toucan who must confront failure. Luckily, his friends are there to help.

A jovial tale for those struggling with perfection. (Picture book. 3-7)--KirkusJoanne Partis discovered her love of picture books while studying illustration at Loughborough College of Art ad Design in England, and has gone on to publish more than 30 books worldwide. She lives in West Sussex, England, with her husband, three children, and three cats.

Joanne Partis discovered her love of picture books while studying illustration at Loughborough College of Art ad Design in England, and has gone on to publish more than 30 books worldwide. She lives in West Sussex, England, with her husband, three children, and three cats.