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Ira Sleeps Over (by Bernard Waber)

common sense media says

Humorous narrative brings Ira's world to life.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this humorous, first-person narrative is written in a very believable child's voice.

Positive messages: Ira's older sister seems to delight in stirring things up.
Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.

More on Ira Sleeps Over

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about security objects. Do you have something special that helps comfort you? When do you feel like you need it? Would you want to bring it on a sleepover?

What's the story?

What's the story?
To take his teddy bear, or not to take his teddy bear? That is the question facing Ira before his first-ever sleepover. Bernard Waber's much loved picture book explores some of the familiar dilemmas and insecurities of childhood, but with a sweetly comic twist. It turns out Ira's inclination was right all along: Even big boys need teddy bears.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Sleeping over for the first time represents a major milestone. Even if it's just a matter of going next door to spend the night with your best friend, it can, as Ira discovers, present some unexpected dilemmas. What if you take your teddy bear and your best friend decides you're a baby? Should you follow the advice of your parents or your older sibling, or your own feelings?

Ira's parents encourage him to do what he wants to do. But, perhaps more relevant for preschoolers, the story acknowledges that other people are not always so supportive. Older siblings, themselves (supposedly) newly liberated from a dependency on teddy bears, can zero right in on one's vulnerabilities with devastating effect. The artwork, pen-and-ink drawings with selective coloring, helps underscore the humor and has a little something extra for parents or older children returning to the book.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Bernard Waber
Illustrator: Bernard Waber
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Children's Books
Publication date: January 1, 1975
Number of pages: 48
Paperback price: $9.95

This review was written by Linda Rahm-Crites
 
 

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age