The Froggies Do NOT Want to Sleep

by Adam Gustavson

Prepare for a different kind of bedtime book--a zany, imaginative adventure to send your little froggies off to dreamland. Not since David Wiesner's Tuesday have frogs had so much fun!

Why go to bed when you can play the accordion, dance underwater ballet, and hold burping contests with strange alien lifeforms? For every kid who ever came up with an outlandish excuse for why it can't be bedtime yet, these froggies' antics will delight and entertain. Acclaimed illustrator Adam Gustavson's raucous authorial debut shows parents there's more than one way to do bedtime.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Storytime, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Adventure

22 pages, Board Book

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Adam Gustavson has illustrated sixteen books for children, including Mind Your Manners, Alice Roosevelt! and Snow Day!. He lives in New Jersey.

Reviews

[Scottsdale Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made for an impromptu children's librarian Storytime. You know a book is good when one librarian reads it, then immediately takes it over to her colleagues, interrupting whatever they were doing, and reads it aloud with nothing more than a hurried, "Look what I just found for storytime!" to introduce it. "Oooh, those are Caledcott level illustrations!" one exclaims, "Such rich vocabulary!" said another. It was passed around through the youth staff in the building and title and author were promptly scribbled onto post-it notes. Lots of possibilities here for themes and writing prompts and art prompts too for our teacher and teacher librarian friends. Readers may also enjoy "King Bidgood's in the Bathtub" by Audrey Wood, "Grandpa Green" by Lane Smith, "Shh! We Have a Plan" by Chris Haughton, or "Fred Gets Dressed" by Peter Brown. Enjoy! - Alexis S.

[Schizanthus Nerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book: a group of frogs who try to get out of going to bed using increasingly imaginative excuses. Parents are already well versed in the usual suspects: another story, another glass of water… The froggies come up with much more interesting scenarios to postpone their bedtime.

Kids will love seeing these realistic frogs acting out a series of unrealistic froggish activities, from shooting themselves out of cannons while singing opera to flying spaceships.

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The illustrations are very detailed, with some fun things to discover, like a frog who’s been drinking a bottle of Croak. Kids will enjoy the humour of the illustrations and may be inspired to come up with some better excuses themselves for why they can’t possibly go to sleep yet.

This book is marketed as a bedtime story and given it’s about frogs at bedtime, that should make sense. My reservation is that it’s not a soothing bedtime story. I’d expect kids to be more hyped up after having this book read to them, which defeats the purpose. I’d be testing this one out well before bedtime first to see how the kidlets respond.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

Blog - https://schizanthusnerd.com

[Rebecca Crunden]

Seriously, 100%, could not stop laughing at these froggies.

This absolutely gorgeously illustrated book is light on the words, but the artwork is some of the best I've seen in a while. Simply splendid! The writing, honestly, reads like some exasperated, knowing parent, who simply cannot get the froggies to go to sleep and I just cracked up laughing every page.

‘They want to sing opera while firing themselves out of cannons’ but they certainly do NOT want to go to sleep.

I giggled. Hard.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy.

☆ Blog | Twitter ☆

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Froggies do not want to sleep is an illustrated picture book for young children aged 4-8 years about a family of young frogs who do not want to go to sleep. They would much rather be playing and doing anything other than going to bed (as many children do). This book has fantastic imaginative ideas of things to play for children and the illustrations are funny and fun.
The bit I didn't quite get was the alien being the parent at the end but the last picture did make me smile as they sat down with the ice cream when the froggies were finally asleep.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all; these amphibians do NOT want to go to sleep. The text itself is simple, contained to just 1-2 sentences per spread, detailing all the things the froggies would rather be doing: hopping, jousting, road-tripping, opera singing while being blasted from cannons. But the art is what sets this book apart. Adam Gustavson’s slick, hyper-realistic gouache painting style is not one often seen in picture book illustration anymore. For me, it’s reminiscent of David Wiesner’s books from the 90’s and early 00’s. Seeing these super realistic frogs in all their green, slimy, long-legged, bug-eyed glory get into increasingly unrealistic shenanigans really brings the book over the top. Great as an any time read aloud.

Reviewed by Laura, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Emily Carlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fully laughed out loud! Every page, I was pointing and gasping and laughing at something new. I can’t wait to use this for a story time.

[Dianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Froggies Do NOT Want to Sleep is a story about a family of frogs at bedtime. These young frogs don't want to go to sleep. They want to stay up and have fun like all kids do. There is so much character in the illustrations and the story was hilarious. Just wait until you get to the part about knights! This is a story that could very possibly become a family favorite. I would recommend it to my friends and family with children and I think that it would be a great addition to any children's collection in a library. Great job! Well done!

[Juniper Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I get so happy reading children’s books that don’t rhyme. I think kids would love watching the froggies’ adventures unfold. The artwork is absolutely beautiful.

[Abigail Harris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some may find this a book they would hand their children however I would not as it has aliens and does not warn of such. Plus, it kinda has a Monster Inc. feel which isn't the best thing for before bed as this book is supposed to be.

I voluntarily received and reviewed a complimentary e/copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

[Stellar Nursery · Rating 5 out of 5]

The visual humor is excellent--it's wonderfully nonsensical. There are many picture books that channel a parent's frustration with bedtime and that tug of war between opposing wills. In this picture book, there are no caretakers fussing in the background, there are only the froggies and their inventive chaos. And in the end, they still go to sleep. So maybe that's the dream?

[Maggi Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

These illustrations are priceless.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to make of this one the first read-through, with the gangly and wide eyed froggies that are more realistic than cute. But on a second read, I can totally see this going gangbusters in a in-person storytime. Everyone play your accordion! Now drive your car! And the froggies themselves grew on me, too.

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possible contender for the Mock Caldecott Awards in January 2022. Just a cute, entertaining tale about a family of young frogs who want nothing to do with going to bed!! Pretty much reminded me of all of my grandchildren.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny bedtime book for when a child will do anything but sleep. I don't know if it's the frogs, but it reminds me of Tuesday by David Wiesner.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can’t wait to share this with my almost 6 year old grandson. Spare text, but detailed and hilarious illustrations show all of the froggies’ adventures while avoiding sleep.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun bedtime story about frogs who don't want to go to sleep, and would prefer to do lots of outlandish, adventurous things instead.

[Stacia · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are awesome!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: The froggies do NOT want to sleep.

Premise/plot: If the froggies do NOT want to sleep, then what do they want to do?!?! In Adam Gustavson's new picture book, readers find out just what these froggies DO want to do.

My thoughts: It's not unusual to have picture books where young children--or ANIMALS--do NOT want to go to sleep. The Froggies Do NOT Want to Sleep is a fun addition to the group. It is silly, delightful, zany, odd.

It didn't take many pages for me to start loving it.

They want to hop. They want to practice their accordions and ride their unicycles...and play dress-up.

Perhaps these froggies are inspired by the Muppet Show?!?!

They want to sing opera while firing themselves out of cannons.

I loved the text--no doubt about it. I didn't love the illustrations...at least not as much as I'd hoped. I'd still recommend the book.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Froggies Do Not Want to Sleep is a cute nightly send of for kids. A goofy, laugh inducing bedtime story to get the last bits of energy out and give them interesting adventures to drift off to. I really liked the artwork. Bright and detailed and also a bit silly. It started off simple, but as the craziness progressed the illustrations got more interesting and colourful. I know my froggy would definitely laugh and enjoy this one before bed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this book out because the frogs looked nuts! Love the illustrations and the length of the story is perfect for reading in storytime.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wacky adventure for some wacky frogs that should be going to sleep, but are too busy doing weird things. We certainly get a dynamic look to the page, and the frogs all look cool and fun, but I'm not sure as to how successful this will be. It's a very text-light book if children are supposed to return to this for their entertainment, and it certainly won't act as a lullaby-like read for the froggy fun-bag you can't get to get off. I think youngsters will have to be limited to having this exuberance long before they're tucked in. Three and a half stars.

[Brenda Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book about frogs not going to sleep. They went on amazing adventures. Love all the colors - and creative adventures.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations throughout this book are absolutely great. I thought they were all fun and that many children would enjoy the antics of the frogs. I was especially amused when I saw one of the frogs was drinking what looked to be a Coke but it was labeled Croak. The different situations the frogs end up in and the illustrations that go with them actually remind me of the Pug books. The illustrations flow from page to page and are often connected to each other which was nice to see.

Now the story itself is rather short with only a couple of words on each page. This is definitely aimed towards the younger readers as the words are simple and short. It took no longer than a minute for me to read; however, I spent more time looking at the illustrations. The story follows the frogs as they play dress up, go jousting, ride alligators, go to space and discover aliens, and even fly through the clouds.

This is definitely a cute book for younger children and I think they’ll be entertained. Now I’m not quite sure if I would read this to children before going to sleep because personally, I would want to play dress up and discover aliens after reading this.

[Magdalena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The following review was first posted on my personal blog:

The title says it all: The Froggies do not want to sleep. They’re much too busy with various silly activities, starting with the already humorous pursuit of accordion-playing and building up to more ridiculous adventures like opera singing while firing themselves out of cannons and battling space monsters. Sure, there are already countless bedtime books out there featuring energetic, imaginative protagonists who just want to avoid sleeping, but this one stands out due to the intricately vivid illustrations in gouache and watercolor. While the froggies’ personalities may be anthropomorphized, their appearances are actually fairly realistic, and their long, skinny legs and huge, yellow eyes add an extra element of humor to the story. All outdoor, underwater, and space scenes feature colorful and detailed backdrops. Despite its fairly cliched storyline, this is a highly entertaining book that I would recommend as a bedtime story or as a good library storytime book when the theme is bedtime or frogs. 

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun bedtime story that I shared with my granddaughter. There is not a lot of text in the book, but the illustrations were wonderful. It starts with the frogs sneaking out of bed and goes on to show them engaging in all sorts of fantastical activities. The various costumes they wear to participate in things like jousting, or heading into space were a hoot. We talked a lot about the activities they were doing as she didn't know what jousting was and thought a frog riding an alligator was pretty funny. The illustrations had so much action, emotion and little things to look at that they added so much to this book. She wanted me to read it to her brothers when they came to pick her up and was constantly sharing with her little brother things we had talked about the night before. I will say that I had to read a couple of other books to settle her down so I could put her to bed, but this is definitely a winner for us. Once again, the magnifying glass option in Hoopla added a bit of fun to this one as well.

[Hannah Dumaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Froggies Do Not Want to Sleep is a book I wanted to add to my goodreads project. My theme of goodnight goes along with this picture book because it talks about dreams. The book mentions how the froggies do not want to sleep, but they want to go hop and play and go into space and experience all different crazy things. These things they want to go and do is impossible, but not impossible in dreams! This book can show children how it can be fun to fall asleep, especially when they can have so many adventures in their dreams. I think this book ties in with Moebius’s picture book codes dealing with color, lines, and position. The colors of the bed where the froggies sleep are in bluer tones, which can mean a state of captivity which is sleep. And the lines from the crazy dreams in space and with aliens are all jagged, which alludes to a troubled and endangered life because they seem to be getting into conflict. When they first go on their “adventure” they are seen going from left to the right side of the page, suggesting going out to see something new; going to a new world.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
Oh wow, I love everything about this book. Gustavson’s illustrations are wonderful; the compositions are executed well and the way each spread takes your eyes across the pages and leads them smoothly onto the next spread, like a continuous tapestry, is a joy. And there is so much to see in the details of each spread. A book where you will see something new each time you pick it up. And just the right amount of detail, a balance of white space and detail that is relevant to the story.
The story is spot on with children, at bedtime or other. It is funny and exciting and imaginative. And so enjoyable to read out loud. Definitely one to read again and again and again. Loved the illustrations at the end of the story - they made me laugh.

[Janique Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens up with a page where the green frogs are creeping out of bed, they want to hop around. They also want to practice their accordion and ride their unicycles around. They also play dress up and one of the frogs has a huge ballroom dress on with a scuba diving helmet. They also want to go for drives into the country in a fancy red car. They also want to go into outer space and have burping contests with aliens. While they are fighting off a jellyfish monster in Outer space, they fall down back to earth and we see all of them sleep in their bed. I like how the illustrator made the frogs look realistic yet still cartoony and how imaginative they were. They first started out with simple things to do around the house to outer space. This would be a great bedtime story for younger kids.

[Sierra Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Froggies Do Not Want to Sleep by Adam Gustavson

The Froggies Do Not Want to Sleep is a hilarious picture story book about some frogs that will do everything but go to bed. The story is full detailed images that make the pages come to life. The imagination from the book will only enhance those who read the story. The story is full of laughs, I even found myself laughing at some of the pages. One of the pages that as my favorite was the frogs playing dress up. The outfits they chose were so funny to look at. The book also tells a story with end pages. In the front pages the frogs are sneaking out of bed. On the end pages the alien followed them back to eat their ice cream from the fridge. Recommended for ages 3-7, or anyone who needs a good laugh!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How funny! The frogs don’t want to sleep as they’re too busy hopping, practicing their accordions, riding unicycles, dressing up, taming ferocious beasts, and numerous other things. I loved the vocabulary in this book – not too large but enough to spark the minds of the young children reading this book. “Tame ferocious beasties, jousting like knights, zipping through galaxies, fizzy soda, alien life-forms, jelly-headed, pillowy-clouds,” see, just reading those words makes you want to read this book. Now for the illustrations, they’re adorable and full of life. With colors that pop, the frogs are full of energy moving from activity-to-activity until they just can’t keep their eyes open. 5 stars