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Mortimer
Mortimer is the story “... of a little boy who won’t go to sleep at night and who drives his family crazy with his rowdiness ... [It] reads as though it was written by a parent driven frantic by one of the contemporary but compulsive stages of childrearing ... [It is] of tremendous appeal to kids and parents at the same stage.”—Globe and Mail
24 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
45 people are currently reading
926 people want to read
About the author
Robert Munsch
287 books1,665 followersRobert Munsch was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Fordham University in 1969 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and from Boston University in 1971 with a Master of Arts degree in anthropology.
He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)
Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.
He studied to become a Jesuit priest, but decided he would rather work with children after jobs at orphanages and daycare centers. In 1973, he received a Master of Education in Child Studies from Tufts University. In 1975 he moved to Canada to work at the preschool at the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario. He also taught in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Guelph as a lecturer and as an assistant professor. In Guelph he was encouraged to publish the many stories he made up for the children he worked with.
Munsch's wife delivered two stillborn babies in 1979 and 1980. Out of the tragedy, he produced one of his best-known books, Love You Forever. This book was listed fourth on the 2001 Publishers Weekly All-Time Best selling Children's Books list for paperbacks at 6,970,000 copies (not including the 1,049,000 hardcover copies). The Munsches have since become adoptive parents of Julie, Andrew and Tyya (see them all in Something Good!)
Munsch has obsessive-compulsive disorder and has also suffered from manic depression. In August 2008, Munsch suffered a stroke that affected his ability to speak in normal sentences. He has recovered enough that he is able to perform live, but has put his writing career on hold until he is fully recovered.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
March 4, 2018
A childhood favourite of mine... it's time to pass it along to Neo. Mortimer is quite the child. When asked to remain quiet at bedtime, young Mortimer begins to sing at the top of his lungs. Visits from his father, massive sibling group, and the police seem not to stop this singing sensation from pushing the envelop just a little more, but it also causes a ruckus in the family living room. By the end, the game is on all those who seek to complain and Mortimer has the last laugh... or snore! Munsch at his best and one of my favourites as a child. I am so pleased to see Neo taking an interest in this wonderful Canadian author. We have a pile more to go through over the next while, so brace yourselves.
March 16, 2019
Way back when, we had a copy of this book. We also had a cassette tape of the author reading it. To this day, whenever I read Mortimer, I hear Robert Munsch singing the annoying little kid's refrain:
I hadn't read this one in ages, so there were some things I didn't remember. It's funny... Reading it as an adult, I saw Mortimer as much more manipulative than I did when I was a kid. The last part, especially, when he falls asleep waiting for someone to come up and yell at him makes it clear that he's doing all this for attention. (When I was little, though, he was basically just a bratty kid who sang a funny song at bedtime.)
This book has a lot of unanswered questions: Does this happen every night? How does Mortimer have his own room if he has 17 brothers and sisters? Why does he have to go to bed before the baby? Do the police expect that call every night and have two officers on hand to go out and try to scare the singing kid? Why doesn't everyone just ignore him for a few hours and see what happens? (After all, that's what eventually works. Why don't they do that in the first place?)
The pictures are cute and funny, and though this book seems short, its repetition and silly story would make it a fun book to read aloud. It's one of the older Munsch/Martchenko titles out there, but it's held up pretty well.
Quotable moment:
Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang
Gonna make my noise all day.
Clang, clang, rattle-bing-bang
Gonna make my noise all day.
I hadn't read this one in ages, so there were some things I didn't remember. It's funny... Reading it as an adult, I saw Mortimer as much more manipulative than I did when I was a kid. The last part, especially, when he falls asleep waiting for someone to come up and yell at him makes it clear that he's doing all this for attention. (When I was little, though, he was basically just a bratty kid who sang a funny song at bedtime.)
This book has a lot of unanswered questions: Does this happen every night? How does Mortimer have his own room if he has 17 brothers and sisters? Why does he have to go to bed before the baby? Do the police expect that call every night and have two officers on hand to go out and try to scare the singing kid? Why doesn't everyone just ignore him for a few hours and see what happens? (After all, that's what eventually works. Why don't they do that in the first place?)
The pictures are cute and funny, and though this book seems short, its repetition and silly story would make it a fun book to read aloud. It's one of the older Munsch/Martchenko titles out there, but it's held up pretty well.
Quotable moment:
December 1, 2021
Far from Munsch's best, although the concept of a kid who won't go to sleep because he loves to sing is fun. The repeition of everyone in his house coming to tell him to be quiet is fun too, but I could DEFINITELY do without the addition of the policemen coming to tell him to be quiet. No cops in my kids books please!
January 25, 2019
Fun, funny book ... great to read first thing in the morning to get oneself in a great mood! I'm just going to have Mortimer's little tune in my head all day, and giggle to myself!
January 23, 2020
When Mortimer's mother puts him to bed, telling him to be quiet, the little boy nods his head, but doesn't comply, singing his fun (and loud!) little ditty. His father, siblings, and two policemen also try to get him to be quiet, all to no avail. It is only when everyone is downstairs, arguing with one another, and therefore unable to pay attention to the noisemaker upstairs, that Mortimer finally falls asleep...
Author Robert Munsch and illustrator Michael Martchenko have collaborated on numerous picture-books, many of them quite humorous (my favorite is The Paper Bag Princess !), and Mortimer is no exception. Oddly enough, given the fact that I wasn't amused by the bratty child in this team's Thomas' Snowsuit , I found Mortimer quite entertaining. Perhaps because the ending here, in which the eponymous hero's annoying behavior ceases when the other characters stop paying attention to him, doesn't enable or validate said behavior? Whatever the case may be, I found this one far more entertaining than the story about Thomas, and finished the book with a chuckle. Recommended to anyone looking for bedtimes books featuring noisy children who don't want to be quiet, or go to sleep.
Author Robert Munsch and illustrator Michael Martchenko have collaborated on numerous picture-books, many of them quite humorous (my favorite is The Paper Bag Princess !), and Mortimer is no exception. Oddly enough, given the fact that I wasn't amused by the bratty child in this team's Thomas' Snowsuit , I found Mortimer quite entertaining. Perhaps because the ending here, in which the eponymous hero's annoying behavior ceases when the other characters stop paying attention to him, doesn't enable or validate said behavior? Whatever the case may be, I found this one far more entertaining than the story about Thomas, and finished the book with a chuckle. Recommended to anyone looking for bedtimes books featuring noisy children who don't want to be quiet, or go to sleep.
March 4, 2025
I love this book because the boy is like me!!
January 28, 2012
Probably my favorite picture book ever - especially for reading at library storytimes. I think it's also the only picture book I've purchased as an adult, just for myself. Hilariously funny with lots of repetition and sound effects - you can tell the author is a professional storyteller. This one's going on my Favorites list.
October 24, 2016
En serio era necesesario llamar a la policia???
August 29, 2022
This book was SHIT. Between the lack of substance and thin rhymes this book let me down. It’s nihilistic tendencies drove me away from the world Mr Munsch was attempting to create. Maybe I was just too young to fully appreciate it.
December 29, 2019
One of the best read alouds of the year for my students. They loved reading it and acting it out.
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March 21, 2018text-to-teaching connection
This book was a little different from most children's books that I have read. If I read this book to the children in my class, I would definitely have to get creative with the reflecting activity. I would have the children act the book out. I think they would have an awesome time pretending that one of the students were in the bed, there would be a mom and dad, then siblings and of course, two police officers. Most of the time, I do arts and crafts activities with the students, however, I feel like dramatic play would really bring this book to life, literally.
This book was a little different from most children's books that I have read. If I read this book to the children in my class, I would definitely have to get creative with the reflecting activity. I would have the children act the book out. I think they would have an awesome time pretending that one of the students were in the bed, there would be a mom and dad, then siblings and of course, two police officers. Most of the time, I do arts and crafts activities with the students, however, I feel like dramatic play would really bring this book to life, literally.
August 23, 2023
this song is still stuck in my head 20 years later lol
July 27, 2008
Mortimer must be a daily chatterbox, because all his mom says when she puts him to bed (throws him in bed in the book, I don't like that part so I edit it to be a little less antagonistic) is BE QUIET.
Well, I know little ones, and you know little ones, and we all know little ones, and Mortimer says yes but immediately does what he shouldn't. He sings. Loudly. He's gonna make his noise all day long.
So his whole family, and ultimately the cops troop up to tell him to be quiet, and while they fight over whose responsibility it is (and stop paying him attention for singing), he falls asleep.
The ending is a bit predictable, isn't it? But for a bedtime book, as I think this is, that sort of ending is just what you need. Nice and predictable and quick.
Well, I know little ones, and you know little ones, and we all know little ones, and Mortimer says yes but immediately does what he shouldn't. He sings. Loudly. He's gonna make his noise all day long.
So his whole family, and ultimately the cops troop up to tell him to be quiet, and while they fight over whose responsibility it is (and stop paying him attention for singing), he falls asleep.
The ending is a bit predictable, isn't it? But for a bedtime book, as I think this is, that sort of ending is just what you need. Nice and predictable and quick.
October 17, 2010
Reading "Mortimer" to a classful of kindergartens is about as much fun as you can have in literature.
Like most of Munsch's stories, this one's a (super funny) "pattern book," with lots of repeated phrases. Great for building sight vocabulary. Every primary grade reading teacher should have a whole library of Munsches.
Like most of Munsch's stories, this one's a (super funny) "pattern book," with lots of repeated phrases. Great for building sight vocabulary. Every primary grade reading teacher should have a whole library of Munsches.
December 12, 2015
another one I recall from my childhood! so funny! "Clang-Clang-rattle-bing-bang, goona make my noise all day" lol
cute story! love the illustrations! Yes I say it every time! but it's true! The illustrations in Munsch's books are always amazing they never ever disappoint! I love the ending of this book!
cute story! love the illustrations! Yes I say it every time! but it's true! The illustrations in Munsch's books are always amazing they never ever disappoint! I love the ending of this book!
March 17, 2009
This has got to be my favourite kids story of all time. My mom bought me the record when I was a girl and I've been a loyal Munsch fan ever since. Mortimer is any and every kid you've ever known. Clang, clang rattle bing bang. Gonna make my noise all day!
November 29, 2008
We use this book to make a reader's theater mini-musical at school with my 2nd graders.
February 15, 2011
21 months - Olivia did you like Mortimer? "Ya!"
Did you like the book a lot or a little bit? "little bit"
Did you like the book a lot or a little bit? "little bit"
August 1, 2012
I usually love Robert Munsch books, but this one was just weird to me.
September 3, 2020
Fabulous book about trying to get a child to go to sleep. Love all the Munch books! This one has a catchy song that all the kids sing with me. Still adore this book and my kids do too!
May 30, 2017
Let's get this party started!
November 9, 2018
This whole household seems chaotic and unruly. Not a fan of this book at all. Everyone is fighting and yelling the whole time. Kind of bummed that this was a Munsch book.
February 10, 2019
A children's favorite. Used in class, the children enjoy being "Mortimer".
April 19, 2020
What a brat.
April 2, 2023
Not recommended. Too weird and chutzpadik.
March 25, 2023
In comparison to the others in The Munschworks Grand Treasury, this is weaker and has similar themes. Munsch's main theme overall is showing children who triumph... usually by being hilariously mischievous. Mortimer triumphs, but is downright naughty. I only recommend this if you're a completist or it's one of the few by the author that you can find.
December 23, 2018
Mortimer.
I guess Mortimer has a hard time going to sleep. Who knows why? I think everyone who has a child understands something like this to an extent.
But at night time, you want the house to be quiet, you want to relax; not Mortimer. Mortimer wants to sing and make noise all day!
I think the ending is the best part, I don't know what everyone was fighting about, but they all could no longer hear Mortimer and his songs, so he eventually falls asleep!
I guess Mortimer has a hard time going to sleep. Who knows why? I think everyone who has a child understands something like this to an extent.
But at night time, you want the house to be quiet, you want to relax; not Mortimer. Mortimer wants to sing and make noise all day!
I think the ending is the best part, I don't know what everyone was fighting about, but they all could no longer hear Mortimer and his songs, so he eventually falls asleep!
April 5, 2021
Just wait it out. That's what I had to do with my second-born so he would start taking naps, which he desperately needed. Ten minutes the first time. Five minutes the second time. After that, he fell asleep as soon as his head the mattress. Dan wasn't singing; he was crying, btw.
The quandry Mortimer causes in his family sounds similar.
Humorous look at bedtime problems. :)
The quandry Mortimer causes in his family sounds similar.
Humorous look at bedtime problems. :)
February 5, 2024
This book is a very fun read. It is a more traditional book that does not focus on feelings, but it brings back some of the excitement back into reading. There are no lessons, just a fun story of a kid that will not be quite and go to sleep and the story snowballs from the moment his mom tucks him into bed.
August 5, 2024
Umm... this one didn't seem to have any meaning. A boy sings a really loud song, which causes all the family members of his house and even a couple of policemen to come into his room and tell him to be quiet. Then they all get a fight downstairs because he's not being quiet. I didn't like the illustrations, either.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews