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Russell Hoban
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Bedtime for Frances Paperback – Illustrated, September 29, 1995

by Russell Hoban (Author), Garth Williams (Illustrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 886 ratings
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This beloved classic bedtime book continues to spark giggles and is a perfect read-aloud at bedtime.

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?

Frances the badger made her debut with this title, long a favorite for the gentle humor of its familiar going to bed ritual.

"Here is the coziest, most beguiling bedtime story in many a day." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

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.

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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    2 - 5 years, from customers
  2. Part of series
    Frances
  3. Print length
    32 pages
  4. Language
    English
  5. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  6. Lexile measure
    360L
  7. Dimensions
    7.88 x 0.12 x 10 inches
  8. Publisher
    HarperFestival
  9. Publication date
    September 29, 1995
  10. ISBN-10
    0064434516
  11. ISBN-13
    978-0064434515
  12. See all details
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A Bargain for Frances (I Can Read Level 2)
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's bedtime for young Frances--an adorable and irrepressible little badger--and everyone is ready but her. At 7:00 p.m. Frances is wide awake and bursting with youthful excitement. She tries every delay tactic she can muster--from demanding extra hugs and kisses to volleying a series of urgent last-minute questions ("May I sleep with my teddy bear?" "May I have my door open?"). She's almost positive there are spiders, giants, and tigers in her room.

Any parent will quickly identify with this phenomenon--how the last minutes of the day suddenly become the most action-packed. Garth Williams's illustrations complement Russell Hoban's sweet story perfectly, capturing the endless energy and overactive imagination of Frances, and the waning patience of her exhausted parents. Bedtime for Frances is the perfect goodnight story to tell your wide-eyed children. And never fear, like Frances, they too will eventually, contentedly, drift off to sleep. (Ages 4 to 8)

Review

"An enchanting picture book with winsome illustrations and a text in which there is humor and a real sympathy for the maneuvering of the reluctantly retiring young."--" Bulletin of the Center for
Children's Books""Anyone who has ever put a little one to bed will find this delightfully familiar, and the children themselves will enjoy the gentle humor and coziness of the story."--" School Library Journal""Here is the coziest, most beguiling bedtime story in many a day."--" The Kirkus Reviews"
(Pointer reviews)

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HarperFestival; New - Illustrated edition (September 29, 1995)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0064434516
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0064434515
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 2 - 5 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 360L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.88 x 0.12 x 10 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 886 ratings

About the author

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Russell Hoban

Russell Hoban

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Russell Hoban was the author of A Bargain for Frances, A Baby Sister for Frances, Best Friends for Frances, A Birthday for Frances, and Bread and Jam for Frances, all illustrated by Lillian Hoban. He also wrote Bedtime for Frances, illustrated by Garth Williams.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
886 global ratings
6 pages in Spanish instead of English
1 Star
6 pages in Spanish instead of English
I ordered this book for my daughter because I had it myself, as a child. It took a very long time to arrive. Upon arrival, I thought everything was great, until I got halfway through reading the book to my 2 year old daughter and discovered that 6 pages of the book are in Spanish instead of English. (Boy, was that a huge nightmare right before bedtime, trying to explain to a toddler why I can't read those pages to her). So I tried to get a refund or have it replaced. I discovered that, in order to do that, I have to return the book and print a shipping label. I don't have a printer though so I am unable to do that. Then I saw that I could request for Amazon to mail me the label. So I did that, but it's been several weeks now and the label has not come.
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Top reviews from the United States

koreamuscle
5.0 out of 5 stars cute story
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2023
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When I was a little boy I had this book read to me, now as a parent I read it to my daughter. The store is absolutely divinely cute, and it's all about this little Badger who just doesn't want to go to bed. The story is for children who really want to hear about Francis the badger. The illustrations in this book and the storyline are a classic. I highly recommend this book even after 50 plus years when it was first read to me.
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K Amundson
5.0 out of 5 stars An eternally magical story with Garth Williams' gorgeous original illustrations
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2018
Verified Purchase
"Bedtime for Francis" is the first of the enchanting Francis series. Despite angst expressed in some comments, I (a reading teacher) have never found a kid yet who has been disturbed by anything in the book. Au contraire, they find Francis's evasion techniques hilarious and the consequences just seem like part of the plot. In fact, I don't recall a kid ever even pointing out the exchange about the spanking--much less the pipe, TV, cake, or other anomalies.

Francis's badger Mom & Dad show terrific parenting skills throughout all the books. Francis is jealous, greedy, contrary, and dramatic like any small child is, especially with her younger sister. But her parents are wise enough to understand that her responses are not motivated by badness, but by her youth and a lack of experience in governing her responses to her feelings. Her mother's conversation with Francis on pp. 12-13 of "A Birthday for Francis" is a perfect example, but there are many more.
Those who have their knocks in a twist about the spanking reference in "Bedtime" could use a reality check. Francis has 15 bedtime interactions with her parents. Only with the last--when her parents have fallen asleep--does her father show his ace...but he is careful to delineate his reasons: the wind has a job, he has a job, Francis has a job, and the consequences, which he lets her discover. Francis's dad does NOT threaten to spank her. Francis herself draws her own conclusion, and he confirms it.

Say what you like about printing the heinous word "spanking"--the Badger parents are still doing a fine job, and no badgelets harmed.
14 people found this helpful
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Emilie M. Roth
5.0 out of 5 stars A Favorite with Kids
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2024
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I regularly buy this book as part of a set of favorite young children's books that I give as a gift for new parents. My kids enjoyed the entire France series and this one about bedtime delaying tactics is one that every young child and their parents can relate to.
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Brett W Nunley
5.0 out of 5 stars Bedtime classic for children
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2022
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It’s a cute, fun story for kids at the age where they like to get out of bed. It’s abundantly clear that many parents won’t like it owing to the spanking reference, but those are the new age parents who are raising future problem children who have no respect for authority :)
4 people found this helpful
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Andrew D. Hunsicker
5.0 out of 5 stars Be cautious of the heavy handed naysayers
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2008
Verified Purchase
I first purchased Bedtime for Frances in 1975. It was for my oldest child. Subsequently we read it to all 5 of our children and it became their favorite bedtime book.

Some reviewers are cautious to a fault about the give and take that goes on between Frances and the parent, her not going to bed, the threat of a spanking and the gloomy characters in her bedroom. Well apparently they have never had the real life process of raising a child and sharing the experiences.

Frances became a way of talking to them about the things that aren't there in the dark, behaving themselves and even sounds that go on during the night. The book also shows the comfort of Mother and Father sharing a snack and with enough authority to enforce the rules, even on the monsters of Frances imagination.

Three years ago I bought a new copy of Frances for each of my children to share with their children(the new one is in color.) My original is still here for use with Grandchildren when they sleep over.

This is an extremely innocuous story about a little Badger's struggle with settling down for a good sleep...perhaps the worry worts ought to buy a copy and let it settle them down too.
27 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Children’s books
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2023
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A favorite story of my adult children when they were little. I bought this for my granddaughter and she loves it.
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Redhead
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2021
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This book is the best. I read it to my twin daughters ever night, almost! This is enjoyable book for kids, resonates with parents
I bought this book for a baby shower. To read later when the child is old enough to understand.
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chrisg
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2020
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I have loved this book for years and was so happy to see it is available. I ordered it for my daughter to read to my granddaughter. Rather than read the spanking part, my daughter substitutes that Francis will be tired in the morning. This book helps normalize bedtime challenges for parents and children. My granddaughter loves it. Thank you! Book is colorful and sturdy.
4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Mariya
5.0 out of 5 stars Love Frances books
Reviewed in Canada on September 9, 2017
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Thank you! Love Frances books.
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Treehugger
5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative and wise tale of naughty Frances!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Frances is a great character, cheeky, resourceful and cute. In this book she procrastinates about bedtime, asking for all the usual diversions - drink, cuddle, food etc to avoid going to sleep. That's where the similarity with most bedtime books ends. Once in bed, Frances imagines all sorts of scary things in her room or coming through the window, but Daddy raccoon puts a stop to that with his wise, imaginative, sensible replies. Finally, in a touchingly loving way, after she wakes him up from his own sleep, he gently mentions a spanking if she can't stay in bed. Throughout the story he is portrayed as an endlessly kind, patient, comforting and loving father, and even the spanking mention is not made in a nasty or threatening way at all, but as part of loving boundaries to help his child learn to depend on her own inner resources to stay in bed. It works, and Frances conquers her demons. Reminds me of my cousin when her 3 year old wouldn't stay in bed; her husband took the boy gently by the hand and put him to bed in the basement room, gently telling him "that's where little boys sleep when they can't stay in their own bed". He never got up at night again.
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Jacquie Spencer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 9, 2017
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VERY HAPPY WITH MY PURCHASE.
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Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars Frances Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2013
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Lovely story to read to my grandaughter...brings back memories of the first book Bread and Jam For Francis Thankyou SO much for the speed at which you posted.
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mary hawker
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2015
Verified Purchase
Still an all time gave even if not for the pc
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