Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep - Hardcover

"This magical story teaches us all that it is better to face your troubles, rather than run away from them. Young readers will delight as they recognize some noisy guest stars among the pages, visiting us from classic fairy tales." --April Howe, Villa Park Public Library "This fractured fairytale brings treasured characters to life as their stories get mingled and mixed. The illustrations are so fantastic...they left us searching for clues!" -- Ms. Suter's Third Grade, Southold Elementary School "Bewitchingly funny, Hildie Bitterpickles's story leaves kids howling with laughter while sharing with them a lesson about how to solve our problems and get along with others." --Mr. Gilvarry's Third Grade, Southold Elementary School "Newman's red-headed heroine uses her smarts, speaks right up, and cleverly wrangles her nursery rhyme and fairytale neighbors to achieve her goal. The playful palette and fresh points of view in Ewald's art show us the hilarious cast of characters Hildie is confronted with. My favorite, laugh-out-loud page shows the Old Lady in the Shoe and her brood." --Ashley Wolff, Miss Bindergarten's Kindergarten "A witch's search for a good night's sleep results in numerous run-ins with nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters in this entertaining story from Newman (The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake) and newcomer Ewald. A redheaded young witch named Hildie can't get to sleep after a giant moves in next door with a "noisy beanstalk elevator" that goes "clangity, clank, clunk all night long." Then an elderly woman with a "gazillion" noisy children shows up (their home is part Converse sneaker, part retro mobile home), and a wolf huffs, puffs, and blows the roof off Hildie's house. After enlisting the dubious services of a realtor rat, Hildie realizes that there really is no place like home, using ingenuity to solve her neighbor problems. Sound effects and Hildie's irate interactions with black sheep, blind mice, and other recognizable characters more keep the story moving quickly, and this is an exceptionally strong debut for Ewald. His gauzy, caricatured images meld playful modern details with familiar storybook figures--readers will have fun spotting cameos by Humpty Dumpty, Little Miss Muffet, and more. Ages 4--8. (Apr.)" --Publishers Weekly "A young witch in need of some shut-eye learns that diplomacy and problem-solving work wonders in dealing with noisy neighbors." --Kirkus Reviews "Hilda Bitterpickles has new neighbors and they're too noisy. She sets out to move only to find she's traded one issue for another and another. Classic fairy tale characters throughout. Newman's story is clever and fun!" -- Gail Cosgriff, staff pick, Northshire Bookstore "Kids will love the "cameos" from all of their favorite tales! Mr. Ewald's illustrations are perfect for the book, and really make the characters come to life. The three dimensional look gives texture to the illustrations. Ms. Newman wrote the book with a lot of humor in it, just like her first book, The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake (see my review HERE). The story is one about working out problems and being resourceful, a good message for anyone! Hildie is a cute character that kids will like. I really enjoyed the book, and finding all the little references in the illustrations (like a mouse running up a clock) -- I think that makes the book appealing to adults and older kids too." --This Kid Reviews Books "What a pickle! Robin Newman has written a playful and clever fractured fairy tale about a young witch who learns some very important lessons about getting along with her rambunctious neighbors. Moving away and avoiding them isn't an easy solution. Hildie discovers that if she confronts her problems with her neighbors, they are willing to work with her to find solutions. This is also an important story about honoring the differences in others. Newman's story is character driven, with a feisty and determined witch. Readers will delight in spotting a host of fairy tale characters that include blind mice, black sheep and other familiar storybook figures. The pacing is perfect with quirky and humorous storytelling. Chris Ewald's gauzy, caricatured images are expressive, colorful and funny. My favorite illustration shows Hildie standing between the Giant's two very hairy feet. There is a perfect marriage between text and artwork. Resources: This is a lively classroom discussion book about avoidance versus confrontation. Visit Robin Newman's website where you will find a free teacher's guide download and view the video trailer for Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep. Children can also make their own Hildie Bitterpickles paper dolls." --Children's Books Heal "Exciting, Funny, Interesting, Entertaining." --Alyson Beecher, Kid Lit Frenzy "Like her created character Hildie, Robin Newman weaves a masterful spell with words. Employing a classic and much-proven storytelling technique of events in threes, she forms a cadence, a sense of expectation, for her readers. An extra layer of rhythm is supplied with the repetition of a key phrase which welcomes us all to participate. More fun is found in the onomatopeia of noisy neighbors from well-known folklore...Look for knowing nods from listeners as Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep... is read aloud, famous fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters replete in the narrative and images. Get ready for bursts of laughter and requests to read it again. Have a witch's hat handy and a friendly black cat for company." --Librarian's Quest "I loved Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep. It was fun how all the different fairy tales are in one story, and I liked when the wolf accidently blew the roof off Hildie's house instead of the little pig's house. The illustrations were bright, colorful, and help tell so much more to the story. I think other kids would love Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep and it would be a great book when learning about mixed up fairy tales." --Kids Book Buzz "In this entertaining and unique story filled with familiar fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters, no spells are cast or potions brewed. But pages will be turned quickly to find out how Hildie solves her sleep dilemma. Young readers will rejoice when Hildie, using a lot of creativity mixed with self-advocacy and cooperation, finally figures out how to have a silent and satisfying night's sleep. Chris Ewald's vibrant artwork will dazzle youngsters who'll adore his interpretations of an assortment of characters. Remember also to study the illustrations carefully as there are some surprise visitors in this story that are certain to elicit laughter. Between Newman's humorous and original take on a witch's quest for quiet and Ewald's inventive artwork, Hildie Bitterpickles Needs Her Sleep makes a great addition to your bedtime story collection and is definitely not just for Halloween." --Good Reads with Ronna

Hildie Bitterpickles is a witch who needs her sleep. Her quiet neighborhood has been turned upside down with the sudden arrival of the old woman in her shoe, big bad wolf, and other fairy tale characters. What will Hildie have to do to get a quiet night's sleep?