Playtime for Restless Rascals

Book excerpt: Nikki Grimes, Coretta Scott King Award winning author, and acclaimed illustrator Elizabeth Zunon's latest children's masterpiece is a whimsical adventure and rollicking celebration of playtime fun. "Time to get to work, little one," I tell you. "What work?" you ask. Like always, you pretend not to understand. "Your job is called Play," I say. Mom needs to wake up her child whose job is to play. From dancing in puddles to jumping in leaves, and swinging high enough to almost reach the sun, there's so much to do in a fun-filled day. For those seeking children's books about diversity, this loving depiction of everyday shenanigans is sure to become a story time favorite. Playtime for Restless Rascals is an African American children's book that celebrates imagination, playful moments, and the love between parents and child. Praise for Bedtime for Sweet Creatures: "A patient mother with a healthy sense of whimsy helps prepare her headstrong toddler for bed. Zunon's art takes this book to the next level: Her portrayals of the animals mentioned in the text are colorful and full of intriguing patterns and shapes. An adventurous treat of a bedtime story."—Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW "An adorable and imaginative bedtime story to add to collections for young children...children will engage with the pajama-clad tot's antics and be soothed by the book's positive tone. A fabulous interpretation of an everyday battle."—Booklist, STARRED REVIEW Praise for Off to See the Sea "Children will delight... This ebullient account of a common childhood experience bursts with love and universal appeal."—Booklist, STARRED REVIEW