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Frances the Badger
Bedtime for Frances: A Cozy Classic About a Badger's Funny Sleep Ritual for Kids
The big hand of the clock is at 12.
The little hand is at 7.
It is seven o' clock.
It is bedtime for Frances.
It may be bedtime for Frances, but before Frances can sleep, she needs a glass of milk, a kiss from Father, one from Mother, her teddy bear, her doll, another kiss from Father, and another one from Mother. And then there are tigers and giants and ominous cracks in the ceiling to keep her up. Will Frances ever go to sleep?
The little hand is at 7.
It is seven o' clock.
It is bedtime for Frances.
It may be bedtime for Frances, but before Frances can sleep, she needs a glass of milk, a kiss from Father, one from Mother, her teddy bear, her doll, another kiss from Father, and another one from Mother. And then there are tigers and giants and ominous cracks in the ceiling to keep her up. Will Frances ever go to sleep?
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
36 people are currently reading
4324 people want to read
About the author
Russell Hoban
184 books411 followersRussell Conwell Hoban was an American expatriate writer. His works span many genres, including fantasy, science fiction, mainstream fiction, magical realism, poetry, and children's books. He lived in London, England, from 1969 until his death. (Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
November 11, 2017
We love the Frances series by Russell Hoban. Our favorite is probably A Bargain for Frances, but we find that all of them speak to our kids. Frances' little songs and her experiences are so typical and so humorous that we can read them over and over.
April 12, 2018
WTF was this? Ok, I can get on board with a story that has a kid that comes up with a million reasons not to go asleep (I have one of my own like that), I don't love this premise, but fine. But what's up with the casual threat of spanking as the final solution? My kid didn't even understand what it was and I didn't care to explain. "No dessert" and "no TV" I think is more effective than a threat of violence.
Hard pass on all the books by this author.
Hard pass on all the books by this author.
August 27, 2011
On the surface the story and the illustrations are cute, but the underlying philosophy isn't a match for little ones I care for.
I have two problems with the story. First, I would not want my child to ever act in any way like Frances does in this story. I generally pick stories that I want my child to emulate or learn from. I do not want my child to make up excuses to get out of bed. I do not want my child to learn to use their imagination to be scared. There are plenty of things to be scared of without making them up or reading them a story that models things they might never have thought to be afraid of before- Spiders flowing from a crack! eek!
The second problem is that the parents threaten to spank Frances and the spanking is what drives Frances to stay in bed. "Do this or I'll hit you" is not a messege I want my children to internalize either.
Cute story, bad messeges.
I have two problems with the story. First, I would not want my child to ever act in any way like Frances does in this story. I generally pick stories that I want my child to emulate or learn from. I do not want my child to make up excuses to get out of bed. I do not want my child to learn to use their imagination to be scared. There are plenty of things to be scared of without making them up or reading them a story that models things they might never have thought to be afraid of before- Spiders flowing from a crack! eek!
The second problem is that the parents threaten to spank Frances and the spanking is what drives Frances to stay in bed. "Do this or I'll hit you" is not a messege I want my children to internalize either.
Cute story, bad messeges.
March 8, 2014
This children's author was way ahead of his time. . . he managed to write a story about our daughter, almost 50 years before she was born. . .
June 17, 2008
"S is for sailboat, T is for tiger, U is for underwear down in the dryer . . . "
This was my favorite book as a child. I will admit, it disturbed me slightly to have to add such a garishly full-color version of this book to my list, as the highlight of my old battered childhood copy was the single-color pen and ink illustrations, where each book only had one accent color (this one was green).
Frances the Badger is one of my literary alter egos - pesky, stubborn, hyper-imaginative to the point of slight paranoia, a huge fan of cake, an irritatingly bossy sibling, a great lover of tea parties and dolls, and a nuisance to her parents because she loves staying up late and hates brushing her teeth. That was me in my childhood, and it's still sort of me now.
This was my favorite book as a child. I will admit, it disturbed me slightly to have to add such a garishly full-color version of this book to my list, as the highlight of my old battered childhood copy was the single-color pen and ink illustrations, where each book only had one accent color (this one was green).
Frances the Badger is one of my literary alter egos - pesky, stubborn, hyper-imaginative to the point of slight paranoia, a huge fan of cake, an irritatingly bossy sibling, a great lover of tea parties and dolls, and a nuisance to her parents because she loves staying up late and hates brushing her teeth. That was me in my childhood, and it's still sort of me now.
January 5, 2016
Full review to come...
Another one from childhood...
I liked Frances. I really did. Though I was never too sure if Frances was a he or a she.Maybe it was the ambiguity that I liked.
But I remember reading the books over and over, and one time Frances would be a he, and another time she, and it gave the stories different tones I thought.
Another one from childhood...
I liked Frances. I really did. Though I was never too sure if Frances was a he or a she.Maybe it was the ambiguity that I liked.
But I remember reading the books over and over, and one time Frances would be a he, and another time she, and it gave the stories different tones I thought.
August 17, 2010
So Frances doesn't want to go to bed, and tries every trick in the book to get out of bed. Then she gets scared by a giant, then she gets scared by the idea of a bug coming through a crack in the ceiling, then she gets scared by a moth tapping on the window. You know the only thing more scary than all this? The prospect of getting a spanking from her parents. So she goes to sleep and sleeps til morning.
Reading this to a child who has never yet had sleep issues was a disaster. (What's on the ceiling, Mommy? Is the window closed, Mommy?) Didn't I like this book back when I was a kid? What happened here? I think I just taught him to be afraid of the dark.
Reading this to a child who has never yet had sleep issues was a disaster. (What's on the ceiling, Mommy? Is the window closed, Mommy?) Didn't I like this book back when I was a kid? What happened here? I think I just taught him to be afraid of the dark.
September 26, 2022
This was the book which kicked off the series and it is utterly charming, although I don't know that it is the best ... but only because I haven't read the rest in a long time. I also cannot remember my first encounter with this darling little badger who is so cute you just want to pinch her cheeks. She has the wisest of parents, so whether you are a child or an adult reading these books, there is great stuff to be had here. I love Frances' delaying tactics, but her parent's skillful handling of her is even better. Marvelous reading! On to the next...
Got the complete set for my granddaughter for her birthday but have checked the books out from the library to read while I wait for the big day.
Got the complete set for my granddaughter for her birthday but have checked the books out from the library to read while I wait for the big day.
July 9, 2020
It is bedtime for badger Frances who doesn't want to sleep. The story is told like the badger is really a child because of the real situations that happen and can happen with kids.
This book is in the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up challenge I am doing.
This book is in the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up challenge I am doing.
September 1, 2025
A pretty cute story about a restless and imaginative little badger trying unsuccessfully to settle down for bed.
The parents handle her pretty well until the threat of a spanking is dropped on the proceedings like an atomic bomb. It warps the story unpleasantly, but doesn't break it.
My daughter liked this when she was two, and we re-read it many times.
The parents handle her pretty well until the threat of a spanking is dropped on the proceedings like an atomic bomb. It warps the story unpleasantly, but doesn't break it.
My daughter liked this when she was two, and we re-read it many times.
March 8, 2020
A different way of life, with that cozy bed (Want!) and a seven o'clock bedtime and mention of a spanking. But still, a universal theme that is still relevant.
Also, Frances has an imagination to celebrate! Though I do not blame her parents one bit for being just a tiny bit exasperated when she goes into their bedroom after they're asleep.
Also, Frances has an imagination to celebrate! Though I do not blame her parents one bit for being just a tiny bit exasperated when she goes into their bedroom after they're asleep.
December 23, 2017
I didn’t really get the point of this book. Basically Frances comes up with all sorts of reasons why she can’t go to sleep and then eventually decides that her job is to go to sleep so she can be well rested for school the next day.
November 6, 2017
I loved the Frances books as a child. She's always up to some mischief that her parents patiently tolerate and she learns from her experiences, growing a little more with each one. However, re-reading this book in 2011, I cannot say that I would recommend it to children today (unless a couple of changes were made to the story).
The first "problem" I ran into was that Frances' father smokes a pipe. When I was a child, my father smoked a pipe and a lot of my friends' fathers smoke pipes. That was the late 1960s. Today, not only is smoking on its way to becoming taboo, pipe smoking specifically can bring to mind connections with drug use. Dad's pipe (and the smoking paraphernalia of any other characters) needs to disappear in order for me to consider recommending this book today.
The second "problem" is that there is a reference to spanking in the story if Frances doesn't ultimately comply with her parents' orders to go to sleep. It is the threat of corporal punishment that finally drives home the lesson of this story (Everything has a job) and leads to Frances going to sleep. Corporal punishment is no longer socially acceptable - not in any context. I can imagine a child who doesn't know what spanking is asking and then becoming confused and upset at the idea that Frances' parents would hit her. It's just not an acceptable concept anymore - especially not for a children's book. If "spanking" were replaced with some other non-violent concept of discipline, then I could consider recommending it.
The first "problem" I ran into was that Frances' father smokes a pipe. When I was a child, my father smoked a pipe and a lot of my friends' fathers smoke pipes. That was the late 1960s. Today, not only is smoking on its way to becoming taboo, pipe smoking specifically can bring to mind connections with drug use. Dad's pipe (and the smoking paraphernalia of any other characters) needs to disappear in order for me to consider recommending this book today.
The second "problem" is that there is a reference to spanking in the story if Frances doesn't ultimately comply with her parents' orders to go to sleep. It is the threat of corporal punishment that finally drives home the lesson of this story (Everything has a job) and leads to Frances going to sleep. Corporal punishment is no longer socially acceptable - not in any context. I can imagine a child who doesn't know what spanking is asking and then becoming confused and upset at the idea that Frances' parents would hit her. It's just not an acceptable concept anymore - especially not for a children's book. If "spanking" were replaced with some other non-violent concept of discipline, then I could consider recommending it.
September 25, 2016
This is a great story to read to children at bedtime. It validates their fears, yet shows them that there's nothing in the corner after all.
It does mention spanking, which could be a turn off to parents, but she doesn't actually get one, and her parents are quite patient with her repeated forays out of her bed.
As long as children aren't too susceptible to suggestions of scary things, this book is a fun way to settle down at bedtime. I read this one when I was very young, but I liked Bread and Jam for Frances much better.
It does mention spanking, which could be a turn off to parents, but she doesn't actually get one, and her parents are quite patient with her repeated forays out of her bed.
As long as children aren't too susceptible to suggestions of scary things, this book is a fun way to settle down at bedtime. I read this one when I was very young, but I liked Bread and Jam for Frances much better.
May 25, 2009
The illustrations in this book are priceless. There is one in particular, on page 25, that is worth the price of the book . It depicts Frances (a baby badger) waking up her father in the wee hours of the evening. The look on her fathers face could not have been drawn any better. This is a wonderful 'goodnight book' for your kids. The back cover states "The soft humorous pictures of these lovable animals are delightful." -- I completely agree.
May 9, 2020
Frances can't go to bed. She needs a drink. She needs a kiss. There's a tiger in her room. There's a giant. She forgot to brush her teeth.
Oh, a spanking? Maybe she's tired after all.
Oh, a spanking? Maybe she's tired after all.
July 30, 2017
I love all the Frances books. So clever and honest.
Read
December 12, 2023First read November 2023.
I couldn't stop laughing with this one. I did edit it a little bit while reading (spanking is definitely harsh and dated and a punishment I don't want my kids to be familiar with or even know about at this age), but what a funny story, especially for parents who can relate to trying to get a toddler down for bed.
I couldn't stop laughing with this one. I did edit it a little bit while reading (spanking is definitely harsh and dated and a punishment I don't want my kids to be familiar with or even know about at this age), but what a funny story, especially for parents who can relate to trying to get a toddler down for bed.
December 25, 2024
pretty repetitive, bored both the kids and me.
August 29, 2013
A story we had to read for school today, and my 5 yr old loved it. I found it a little uninteresting, but overall enjoyable. I did like the unusual way the parents answered Frances' questions when she didn't want to go to bed. For instance, when she asked about the Giant in her room that was going to eat her, instead of a normal parent response such as "There are no such thing as giants, go back to bed", the father responded with "How do you know the giant wants to eat you? Did you ask him?" A different and unusual approach to the dilemma of getting a child to sleep, it was a fun diversion from our morning routine.
Read
March 9, 2019Having spent the past month immersed in Hoban's marvelous Riddley Walker, I had to revisit this Frances the Badger book, which was my daughter's absolute favorite bedtime story.
'There is a tiger my my room,' said Frances.
'Did he bite you?' said Father.
'No,' said Frances.
'Did he scratch you?' said Mother.
'No,' said Frances.
'Then he is a friendly tiger,' said Father. 'He will not hurt you. Go back to sleep.'
'Do I have to?' said Frances.
'Yes,' said Father.
'Yes,' said Mother.
'There is a tiger my my room,' said Frances.
'Did he bite you?' said Father.
'No,' said Frances.
'Did he scratch you?' said Mother.
'No,' said Frances.
'Then he is a friendly tiger,' said Father. 'He will not hurt you. Go back to sleep.'
'Do I have to?' said Frances.
'Yes,' said Father.
'Yes,' said Mother.
September 30, 2012
This is such a wonderful, wonderful book! I got to read it out loud to someone who had never met Frances before. At bedtime. The text is brilliant, the illustrations delightful. And there are threatened spankings, which one can hardly find in a book for small people any more. I love Frances' parents with all my heart.
Everyone should have a copy of this on hand, just in case.
Everyone should have a copy of this on hand, just in case.
December 10, 2017
Frances' creative reasons to repeatedly get out of bed and bother her parents surely ring true to most parents. I don't remember now what I made of them as a child who had little trouble sleeping and knew better than to wake up my parents.
March 28, 2019
This is one of those books I read as a kid that I forgot about until someone bought it for my children. This one pretty much nails what I was like as a child...and how my kids are now. Cute and nostalgic. Moral of the story: Everything has a job. It's the child's job to go to sleep.
Read numerous times in the 80's and a few times this year.
Read numerous times in the 80's and a few times this year.
September 8, 2020
I’ve had this on audiocassette since I was a kid and it’s one of my favorites. I’ve listened to it often. Going through books my mom had saved, I found the paperback of this over the weekend. Yay! Too bad I didn’t find Bread and Jam for Frances, because that’s another favorite for this picky eater!
October 27, 2025
I always thought of Russell Hoban as the author of Riddley Walker. I had no idea he was better known for his Frances the badger series, which starts with Bedtime for Frances.
The flavor is old-fashioned, the tone affectionate, and the illustrations adorable. Frances faces down her fear of the dark rather as how I recall facing down mine. These small victories, resolutions to apparently insurmountable problems, build up a child’s store of courage. The memory doesn’t fade. The learned value of determinedly confronting the unnerving can echo throughout a lifetime.
The flavor is old-fashioned, the tone affectionate, and the illustrations adorable. Frances faces down her fear of the dark rather as how I recall facing down mine. These small victories, resolutions to apparently insurmountable problems, build up a child’s store of courage. The memory doesn’t fade. The learned value of determinedly confronting the unnerving can echo throughout a lifetime.
January 23, 2024
My boys loved this one! Even with the old school threat of spanking, it was very relatable!
Read
May 26, 2024It started cute and relatable, but that ending was rather unsatisfying, being a child who grew up with raging insomnia.
April 22, 2018
Again, we revisit a book that I read many many times as a child. Along with "Bread and Jam for Frances" these were my oldest books.
Frances doesn't want to go to bed. That's it, the premise is just that simple. And everything she does is exactly everything I did back when I was small. I remember thinking the furniture looked like a monster in the dark. I remember worrying about the things outside. And I remember going to my parents again and again as I struggled with these bedtimes anxieties.
Oddly enough the thing that's most controversial about this book is also something I remember well. The threat of the spanking I don't see as abusive, maybe because I have a different understanding about it than many modern readers today. The spanking, was never meant to hurt. But it meant to be embarrassing. I remember being spanked once in my entire life. I'd been very bad (huge tantrum, very publicly) when I was probably four or five. We actually came all the way home and my father spanked me once on the bottom when we got home. I knew I was going to get a spanking all the way home, and I know I was terrified of it. The thing is I don't remember feeling it at all. I DO remember feeling my father's disappointment in me. And I never forgot that lesson.
Does Frances obey then because she's scared? Not in the least. She never exhibits any fear in that regard at all. What she's doing here is questioning whether or not the spanking is WORTH IT. She knows a spanking doesn't hurt, and likely hasn't experienced many in her life. She has no fear of her father who is loving and patient throughout. But he drew a line in telling her that she couldn't interrupt him anymore, because if he hadn't set that boundary, Frances would likely have kept coming into his room all night long. BUT he also explained very patiently just why that boundary was set.
Frances was then given the choice to respect that boundary. And rather than risk her father's disappointment (not wrath) she chose to stay put and put into practice his words as she made the connection between what he'd said, and then applied it to what her job was.
This is a priceless moment where she's learned something valuable that (one hopes) she won't forget.
To those of you with a different view of spankings, then perhaps you didn't grow up in the environment that I did, or likely the author did. Keep in mind the age of the book and what was considered 'proper' then and now. I would never advocate abusive behavior in regards to anyone. I've lived in a very abusive relationship, and perhaps that gives me a strange perspective to things. But I stand by this review and my thoughts here. There is a big difference between a violent slap administered in anger, and a gentle swat administered in love.
As for the book? Still a favorite. My husband read it and laughed as he remembered these days very well. But then we both were children when this was written, and this was the life we both knew.
Still, very highly recommended!
Frances doesn't want to go to bed. That's it, the premise is just that simple. And everything she does is exactly everything I did back when I was small. I remember thinking the furniture looked like a monster in the dark. I remember worrying about the things outside. And I remember going to my parents again and again as I struggled with these bedtimes anxieties.
Oddly enough the thing that's most controversial about this book is also something I remember well. The threat of the spanking I don't see as abusive, maybe because I have a different understanding about it than many modern readers today. The spanking, was never meant to hurt. But it meant to be embarrassing. I remember being spanked once in my entire life. I'd been very bad (huge tantrum, very publicly) when I was probably four or five. We actually came all the way home and my father spanked me once on the bottom when we got home. I knew I was going to get a spanking all the way home, and I know I was terrified of it. The thing is I don't remember feeling it at all. I DO remember feeling my father's disappointment in me. And I never forgot that lesson.
Does Frances obey then because she's scared? Not in the least. She never exhibits any fear in that regard at all. What she's doing here is questioning whether or not the spanking is WORTH IT. She knows a spanking doesn't hurt, and likely hasn't experienced many in her life. She has no fear of her father who is loving and patient throughout. But he drew a line in telling her that she couldn't interrupt him anymore, because if he hadn't set that boundary, Frances would likely have kept coming into his room all night long. BUT he also explained very patiently just why that boundary was set.
Frances was then given the choice to respect that boundary. And rather than risk her father's disappointment (not wrath) she chose to stay put and put into practice his words as she made the connection between what he'd said, and then applied it to what her job was.
This is a priceless moment where she's learned something valuable that (one hopes) she won't forget.
To those of you with a different view of spankings, then perhaps you didn't grow up in the environment that I did, or likely the author did. Keep in mind the age of the book and what was considered 'proper' then and now. I would never advocate abusive behavior in regards to anyone. I've lived in a very abusive relationship, and perhaps that gives me a strange perspective to things. But I stand by this review and my thoughts here. There is a big difference between a violent slap administered in anger, and a gentle swat administered in love.
As for the book? Still a favorite. My husband read it and laughed as he remembered these days very well. But then we both were children when this was written, and this was the life we both knew.
Still, very highly recommended!
March 12, 2015
Bedtime For Francis is a bedtime story about a little girl named Francis who doesn't want to go to sleep. She keeps thinking there are spiders, monsters, and giants in her room, and keeps bothering her parents to check for her.
I remember reading this series when I was young, although I don't think I read this particular story. I always liked the drawings, with the clear lines, and contrasting colors.
What I liked about this story was that Francis' parents encouraged her to not be afraid, but they also didn't solve her problems for her. When she tells her parents there is a bear in her closet, they ask her if it scratched her or bit her. When she says no, then they reply, "Then it must be a friendly bear." I like that they encouraged her to not be afraid in this fashion rather than the usual, "Oh mommy looked in the closet, it's not there." Because as we all know, once mommy leaves the monster is back in the closet.
Parents will have to read at their discretion, as this book does mention spanking. By the end of the story Francis is clearly no longer scared and making excuses to not sleep, so her father tells her she needs to sleep or she'll get a spanking. Obviously, this wouldn't be a classroom appropriate story for this reason, as many parents are averse to spanking.
I would say this is a good book for six and seven year olds.
I remember reading this series when I was young, although I don't think I read this particular story. I always liked the drawings, with the clear lines, and contrasting colors.
What I liked about this story was that Francis' parents encouraged her to not be afraid, but they also didn't solve her problems for her. When she tells her parents there is a bear in her closet, they ask her if it scratched her or bit her. When she says no, then they reply, "Then it must be a friendly bear." I like that they encouraged her to not be afraid in this fashion rather than the usual, "Oh mommy looked in the closet, it's not there." Because as we all know, once mommy leaves the monster is back in the closet.
Parents will have to read at their discretion, as this book does mention spanking. By the end of the story Francis is clearly no longer scared and making excuses to not sleep, so her father tells her she needs to sleep or she'll get a spanking. Obviously, this wouldn't be a classroom appropriate story for this reason, as many parents are averse to spanking.
I would say this is a good book for six and seven year olds.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews