A playful cumulative book whose illustrations I find charming. ( )

A young girl with a distaste for bedtime decides to run away, rather than submit to being tucked in. Her father, wise in his ways, encourages her to take more and more with her, from her favorite dinosaur, to scare away night-time monsters, to a snack for said dinosaur. Eventually, having taken everything and the house with her, the girl is tired out, and falls asleep...

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away is the third picture-book I have read from author/illustrator Elanna Allen, and of the three, it is the one that I enjoyed most. The tale here is structured in a cumulative way, like the classic "The House That Jack Built," and would make for an entertaining read-aloud, I believe. Itsy Mitsy felt a little bratty (a common characteristic of Allen's heroines, it seems), but I appreciated the way her father encouraged her in her make-believe (I presume?) games. The artwork is colorful and cute, with a cartoon style that makes a lot of sense, given its creator's background in animation. Recommended to anyone looking for fun bedtime fare. ( )

Grades: Pre-2
Theme: Running away from bedtimes.

Loved this, and I'm guessing my niece will love it too. The story's funny, the illustrations are beautiful, and Mitsy is a fabulous character. I really hope Elanna Allen will be writing more books about her.

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away is all about a girl who hates bedtime. She plans to run away, packs her whole house even, and by the end of her trip, she falls asleep. Her father, who entertains the whole ordeal, is there to tuck her in when she falls asleep. This book is adorable and will make children laugh with its exaggerated and unrealistic events, especially for those children who put their parents through events like this every night. ( )