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Go to Sleep, Jessie!
If only Jessie would lie down. If only she would go to sleep. But nothing will settle her ... except maybe a little sisterly know-how.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2014
1 person is currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Libby Gleeson
63 books38 followers"I was born in Young, a small town in south western NSW in 1950. After a few years we moved to Glen Innes, on the northern tablelands and then when I was ten we moved out west to Dubbo. We moved because my father was a schoolteacher and each change meant a promotion for him.
There were six children in the family. I was number three and there wasn't a lot of money. We didn't have television and of course there was no such thing as a computer.
Books and reading were hugely important. I remember going to the library on a Saturday morning and borrowing five or six books and reading them all by Sunday night.
When I finished High School I studied at the University of Sydney. I had a great time studying mainly history but also getting involved in lots of things happening at the University and the city. It was the time of the anti-Vietnam war protests and the rise of the Women's Movement.
I taught for two years in a small town, Picton, which is just outside of Sydney. I really enjoyed that time but I wanted to travel and in 1976 I headed off for five years. I based myself first in Italy where I taught English and then in London where I started writing my first novel, Eleanor, Elizabeth. I attended a creative writing group where the other students pushed me to write a better book. In London I also met my husband. We came back to Sydney in 1980. We've got three daughters.
When we first came back I taught at the University of NSW but now I write full-time. I've written thirty books and I've also taught occasional courses in creative writing and I've visited lots of schools to talk about my work.
I write picture books, novels for young kids and also novels for slightly older readers. I've done a book about writing and also a small amount of writing for television: Bananas in Pyjamas and Magic Mountain.
The writer's life is pretty good. It's a job where you work for yourself, in your daggy track suit, at times that suit you. What more could you ask for?"
from: http://www.libbygleeson.com.au/biogra...
There were six children in the family. I was number three and there wasn't a lot of money. We didn't have television and of course there was no such thing as a computer.
Books and reading were hugely important. I remember going to the library on a Saturday morning and borrowing five or six books and reading them all by Sunday night.
When I finished High School I studied at the University of Sydney. I had a great time studying mainly history but also getting involved in lots of things happening at the University and the city. It was the time of the anti-Vietnam war protests and the rise of the Women's Movement.
I taught for two years in a small town, Picton, which is just outside of Sydney. I really enjoyed that time but I wanted to travel and in 1976 I headed off for five years. I based myself first in Italy where I taught English and then in London where I started writing my first novel, Eleanor, Elizabeth. I attended a creative writing group where the other students pushed me to write a better book. In London I also met my husband. We came back to Sydney in 1980. We've got three daughters.
When we first came back I taught at the University of NSW but now I write full-time. I've written thirty books and I've also taught occasional courses in creative writing and I've visited lots of schools to talk about my work.
I write picture books, novels for young kids and also novels for slightly older readers. I've done a book about writing and also a small amount of writing for television: Bananas in Pyjamas and Magic Mountain.
The writer's life is pretty good. It's a job where you work for yourself, in your daggy track suit, at times that suit you. What more could you ask for?"
from: http://www.libbygleeson.com.au/biogra...
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 31, 2017
Baby sister won't sleep. Screaming and screaming. Big sister goes downstairs to tell mum. Then dad. This happened more than once. Big sister was cranky and thought baby should move out of their shared bedroom. Mum and dad said that would make her sad. Dad even drove her around the block a lot of times to put her to sleep. She still screamed. Big sister climbed into the cot and lots of sleep was had. All's well that ends well.
January 29, 2015
Jessie has been moved into the same bedroom as her big sister and she’s not particularly happy about it. In fact, she’s crying – a lot – and keeping her big sister awake.
This is a really sweet story which might be familiar to those of us who are older siblings who had to share rooms. Although my younger sister was only as bad as Jessie on one occasion (and we were sharing a hospital room, so it’s kind of understandable), I totally sympathised with the older sister and her attempts to convince her sister to go to sleep.
On the first read-through, however, I was kind of annoyed by the parents in the book – why don’t they go and comfort Jessie instead of her sister having to come out to tell them she’s crying? With repeated readings, though (the two year old has become a big fan), I start to wonder whether the older sister is the most reliable narrator – how long is she waiting before she alerts her parents? Are her parents really as relaxed about Jessie’s crying as our narrator suggests? (I think they are a little more stressed out, judging by the dad’s willingness to drive around the block to settle Jessie.) While that line of questioning keeps me entertained as an adult, I think my son really just enjoys the main struggle of trying to communicate with someone who doesn’t really comprehend and can’t say an awful lot back – he’s fascinated with younger children at the moment, so it really connects with him.
You simply can’t talk about this book without talking about Freya Blackwood’s illustrations. As always, they tell the story as much as the words on the page do. The colour scheme of blue and orange is absolutely stunning and creates such a lovely contrast between the world which should be sleeping (upstairs) and the artificial light at night world which is still awake (downstairs). Like The Runaway Hug (written by Nick Bland), stairs are featured in the illustrations – a wonderful way of adding depth to a house when we only really see two small segments of it. In a completely sentimental moment, I get a real kick out of the inclusion of the Tupperware shape sorter (with scattered shapes) – I had one as a child and it was one of the ‘must-have’ toys I bought before my son was born.
The more I look and think about this book, the more I see why my son is so enthralled by it. It improves with additional reads and is perfect for bedtime story time.
Originally reviewed at Subversive Reader
This is a really sweet story which might be familiar to those of us who are older siblings who had to share rooms. Although my younger sister was only as bad as Jessie on one occasion (and we were sharing a hospital room, so it’s kind of understandable), I totally sympathised with the older sister and her attempts to convince her sister to go to sleep.
On the first read-through, however, I was kind of annoyed by the parents in the book – why don’t they go and comfort Jessie instead of her sister having to come out to tell them she’s crying? With repeated readings, though (the two year old has become a big fan), I start to wonder whether the older sister is the most reliable narrator – how long is she waiting before she alerts her parents? Are her parents really as relaxed about Jessie’s crying as our narrator suggests? (I think they are a little more stressed out, judging by the dad’s willingness to drive around the block to settle Jessie.) While that line of questioning keeps me entertained as an adult, I think my son really just enjoys the main struggle of trying to communicate with someone who doesn’t really comprehend and can’t say an awful lot back – he’s fascinated with younger children at the moment, so it really connects with him.
You simply can’t talk about this book without talking about Freya Blackwood’s illustrations. As always, they tell the story as much as the words on the page do. The colour scheme of blue and orange is absolutely stunning and creates such a lovely contrast between the world which should be sleeping (upstairs) and the artificial light at night world which is still awake (downstairs). Like The Runaway Hug (written by Nick Bland), stairs are featured in the illustrations – a wonderful way of adding depth to a house when we only really see two small segments of it. In a completely sentimental moment, I get a real kick out of the inclusion of the Tupperware shape sorter (with scattered shapes) – I had one as a child and it was one of the ‘must-have’ toys I bought before my son was born.
The more I look and think about this book, the more I see why my son is so enthralled by it. It improves with additional reads and is perfect for bedtime story time.
Originally reviewed at Subversive Reader
June 11, 2015
I can imagine this book being included in a dress up corner, with children role playing Jessie, the older sibling and the parents.
Libby Gleeson's text and Freya Blackwood's illustrations provide a chance for kids to learn about problem solving, role play, sense of identity and many other valuable areas of the Early Years Learning Framework.
For a full Educational Review head to my website.http://abcjenny.com/2015/06/06/go-to-...
I wish both Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood good luck in the 2015 CBCA Book Awards.
Libby Gleeson's text and Freya Blackwood's illustrations provide a chance for kids to learn about problem solving, role play, sense of identity and many other valuable areas of the Early Years Learning Framework.
For a full Educational Review head to my website.http://abcjenny.com/2015/06/06/go-to-...
I wish both Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood good luck in the 2015 CBCA Book Awards.
February 25, 2015
Masterful Gleeson and Blackwood. I was totally engaged. It rang completely true. Colours lovely and zingy but mellow as well. I loved the little square vignettes showing a series of actions. Most subtle and effective.
June 26, 2015
Once again, I can't get past Freya's gorgeous and clever illustrations... I don't think the storyline is brilliant, but the pictures lift it, and it is a story that many children (and parents) would relate to.
December 21, 2014
A little girl has to share her bedroom with her younger sister - a child who doesn't like to sleep. Gentle story about a very real situation. Freya Blackwood's illustrations are outstanding
August 4, 2015
A sweet story about not being able to go to sleep as there is a baby in your room making noise.
May 6, 2016
Een redelijk schattig boek. Ik vond het einde leuk en ik zat echt awww te gaan. :D Illustraties zijn best OK.
August 20, 2015
Freya Blackwood's illustrations turn simple stories into beautiful, precious things.
January 24, 2021
A book about a baby who couldn't get to sleep so their parents try different tricks! Finally the baby falls asleep!
November 15, 2016
An accessible and relatable story for many children with siblings, especially anyone who has had to share a bedroom. A heart-warming family read-aloud.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews