Boswell Wide Awake

by Alexandra Day

When Boswell Bear is wakened by a full moon, he sets out on a patrol of his house and discovers a variety of things that need his attention. His final duty before putting himself back to bed is to tuck in and kiss his sleeping father and mother.

"Utterly magical." – Starred, Publishers Weekly

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Alexandra Day, the beloved creator of Good Dog, Carl, is the literary persona of Sandra Louise Woodward Darling—an artist and storyteller devoted to the deep, joyful connection between children and animals. The beloved children's book author, Alexandra Day, is the literary persona of Sandra Louise Woodward Darling, an artist and storyteller passionate about connecting children and animals.

Born in 1941 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Alexandra Day emerged from a creative family where painting was a cherished pastime. Four formative years on a hundred-acre Kentucky farm nurtured her deep connection to animals and literature, fostering the seeds of her future artistic vision.

Day and her husband, Harold Darling, founded Green Tiger Press in 1970, marking the beginning of their publishing adventure. Her breakthrough came in 1985 with Good Dog, Carl, a book inspired by an antique German illustration she discovered in a Zurich bookshop. The story was based on her own Rottweiler, Toby, and featured her granddaughter, Madeleine, as the baby.

Over the past four next three decades, Day has published twenty-four Carl books, selling more than six million copies. The series, featuresing a gentle Rottweiler caring for a baby and their adventures, is a beloved staple of children's literature. Beyond Carl, she also created the Frank and Ernest series, The Teddy Bear’s Picnic, and many other books.

After selling Green Tiger Press in 1986, Day and Harold started Blue Lantern Publishing. In 1993, they moved to Seattle and founded Laughing Elephant Publishing. Following Harold's passing in 2016, Day continues to run the company with her family.

When not painting Carl or working at her publishing company, Day can be found spending time with her grandchildren and tending her garden. Alexandra Day often visits libraries and schools with her dogs, promoting reading and the benefits of therapy animals. Her life's work celebrates the magical bond between children, animals, and storytelling.

Reviews

[Shawn Deal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boswell is a young bear suffering one night from insomnia. He ventures through the house doing little tasks, he. Ensures outside of play with his toys and we see him tuck his parents to bed. A very cute little story.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as strong as Her Carl books, day still hits an emotional tone in the midst of the dilemma of late-night wakefulness. Not sure how much this will connect for younger readers.

[Cara Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for creepiness...After you read this you will be wide awake.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

The illustrations are nicely done, but a little too choppy for me. And it felt like a kid was wearing a wolfish-bear costume. I don't know, something about how human-like the 'bear' character seemed made things more uncomfortable to me.