Itsy Mitsy Runs Away

K-Gr 2—Itsy Mitsy, a small girl in bright green pajamas, hates bedtime and decides to run away. Although her dad is sorry to see her go, he decides to "help." He suggests a variety of things that she will need to pack including Mister Roar, her stuffed dinosaur. Dinosaurs need to be fed, however, so Mitsy raids the refrigerator and heads off again, but not before Dad reminds her of the "bedtime beasties," so Mitsy packs "her ferocious dog, Puptart" (he looks anything but), for protection. And so it goes until Mitsy has packed the entire house, including Dad, to head off to where there are no bedtimes. Her joy in finding such a place is short-lived, though, and she soon falls asleep with one giant snore. The bright, minimalist cartoon illustrations are rendered in pencil with digital color, primarily using greens, yellows, and oranges. This entertaining story will appeal to any children who have fought against the dreaded bedtime.—Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA