Hey! Wake Up! Reviews

• Jaunty rhythms for the kiddies.

  
  By A1C4PZDQ84I9MA on 2004-01-12
  I love these books. My daughter loves these books. Boynton's books are cutsie-poosie for the kiddies, and they are hard to read without starting to sing.

  There was one part that made me uncomfortable, though. I know this is going to sound hyper-sensitive, but it bummed me out when the narrator tells the little rabbit that he's too small for basketball. The book goes on to tell the elephant: "You're too big to use the swings, you should go do big guy things." The elephant looks despondent on the swing, like an eight-year-old with a glandular problem being teased by adults who think he's twelve. It made me a little sad. Why can't the rabbit play basketball and why can't the elephant ride a swing with the other kids? But, I know, it's just a kids book, I'm definitely missing the point, but I can't help what it made me think.

  But your kid will love it. The rhythms are jaunty and fun. Enjoy.
  
  

• Great New Concept by a favorite author.

  
  By on 2000-06-06
  I love the concept of this book: there are so many bed time books but this is the first wake up book I have seen. I read it to my children every morning when they wake up. It's great because now we have a morning routine that includes reading as well. It is a little long for them now, but they will grow into it soon.

  The pictures are great and the text is very funny as well.
  
  

• Chewably Good

  
  By A3KBOOC2FX4ZRT on 2001-06-09
  Fun to look at, fun to chew. Not boring for Dad to read aloud even after the 140th time.
  
  

• ANOTHER GREAT BOARD BOOK FROM BOYNTON

  
  By A2JP0URFHXP6DO on 2005-04-06
  Sandra Boynton has always been one of our favorites. The books are always a hit and this one is no different. She's covered going to bed now it's time to "hey! Wake up!" in this latest, 24 page board book. The book features Sandra's signature silly rhyming style accompanied by her wonderfully wacky cartooning style with bright, colorful artwork.
  
  Her Typically silly animals awake to start a new day with a lion, Bear, Elephant and hippo in one bed and pig, cat and rabbit in another. Then its off eat breakfast, get dressed, and head outside to play. When the little Rabbit has a hard time playing basketball, he gets a big boost from the bear as the book teaches kids about helping each other out and just generally being nice. Yet another winner from Sandra!
  
  

• "EW"'

  
  By A3V8E10EWDNLLT on 2005-11-13
  A little disappointing after reading Barnyard Dance, but a good rhythm none the less. I don't like the "ew" in reference to broccoli stew. I guess I'm for encouraging kids to eat their vegetables. Also, the small animals tell large animals to go do big guy things because they're too large. I don't like the implication there either (no, I'm not large).
  
  
• My son loves it!
  By AJGBEEPRJUKQ7 on 2000-06-19
  A new book by Sandra Boynton! I don't know who was more excited, my 20 month old son or me. I've memorized all the other Boynton board books, so I'm thrilled to have some new material. As we have many going to bed stories, how nice to have one to wake up with in the morning. True to Boynton's style, this is a charming well-rhymed little story. Broccoli stew for everyone!
  
  
• Just to add to the accolades...
  By A25LQZUOPQWMLE on 2002-03-26
  As a teacher I use this book in morning circle time with a class of mostly non-verbal autistic preschool students, and it's hands-down the class favorite. The language of the book is so basic that we include a lot of introductory signs ("eat", "juice", "open") along with the movements, and basically move for the whole book. One of my students in particular has really had a breakthrough with this book - he makes us act it out all day! It's the first thing he's really learned to imitate, and about the first positive "fixation" he's had in class. It's wonderful.

  And we love "broccoli stew - ew", too. Even my completely non-verbal, non-signing kids make an effort to get an "ew" out.

  Just don't do what I did, and point out later in the day that a kid has beef stew for lunch! I tried that, got a worried look and an "ew" from a little girl, and had to spend the better part of a week convincing her to touch any part of her lunch again... oops. ("It's not broccoli!" Didn't matter to her.)

  We want more Sandra Boynton!!! (By the way, my class also loves "But Not the Hippopotamus" and "Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaur".)
  
  

• Think twice about this one...we don't like the messages it sends
  By A3D53V8VJYWGCE on 2007-04-15
  We're generally big Boynton fans at our house, but I am very glad that we previewed this title from the library. I was looking for a book to complement Pajama Time and Hey! Wake Up! seemed like an appropriate title. But like another reviewer, we didn't really like the "Ew" comment about the broccoli stew nor the large animals being told to go do big guy things. Perhaps older children would find this amusing, but I was choosing a book to read aloud to a baby - a book that would be read dozens if not hundreds of times over the next few years - and I really didn't want to reenforce the idea of not liking something without even trying it nor that one could be too big (or too small) to do something. Sorry, Sandra...this one is not becoming part of our library. On the other hand, in the Broccoli song on Dog Train: A Wild Ride on the Rock-and-Roll Side (Book & CD), after much protest, the child says "Yum" [We love all three of Boynton's musicals for children]. Likewise for a more positive message about size try Jez Alborough's Hit the Ball, Duck! where after being declared too small, Frog ultimately saves the day and shows that he isn't.
  
  
• Hey! Wake Up!
  By ALWNPLJ3LLVPX on 2001-02-16
  I have been reading this book to my 24month old for 2 weeks. We are now woken by the first line every morning "Hey big guys open your eyes". The rthymed text makes it fun to read and the concept of big and small are included without any obvious educational slant. Even my husband does not mind joining in. It make a change to the normal nursery songs. I would highly recommend this book.
  
  
• Still love Boynton
  By on 2002-11-07
  I give this one a 4 only because it hasn't really caught on at our house like the earlier books (One Two Three!, Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs, Horns to Toes, The Going to Bed Book, etc.). It still has the fun rhymes and Boynton humor and I think it's a cute book, maybe it just has too many words for my under 4 crowd.
  
  
• Cute way to start the day!
  By AENBP6IL0XQ4M on 2006-03-28
  This is the second of three books I read to my infant son each morning as part of his waking routine. (Another Boynton favorite, "Snuggle Puppy," is the first book I read.) It's such a precious way to start the day by watching his eyes light up and his grin grow wider as we read through these sweet books. I especially enjoy the cute placements of "ew" in the rhyme.
  
  
• My daughter knows this book word for word
  By A2WEIX5WO1HVS7 on 2001-02-23
  This book is definitely one of my daughters favorites along with Pajama Time. I have lost the book before and when the book was found my daughter was so excited.... She dances on my lap to.."Shimmy shimmy shimmy Wiggle your nose" and she shouts out loud " GOOD MORNING SUN HAPPY MORNING EVERYONE". She knows all of the words and "reads" along with me. This book I highly recommend
  
  
• Great for Any Age
  By on 2001-06-02
  My 5yo loves this book. It was originally a birthday present for my 1yo, but he hasn't even seen it. My oldest walks around reciting the book. He especially loves the "brocolli stew....EW!!" It makes him giggle everytime. I absolutely recommend this book.....for any age!!
  
  
• Fun to Read!
  By on 2001-09-15
  Hey! Wake Up! is my 18 month old grandson's favorite book! I find it very fun to read to him, and his joy at hearing it doubles the pleasure! I am planning to purchase more of Sandra Boynton's books for him!
  
  
• Great for Mom too!!!
  By A3NA9KM9JJHPYN on 2002-10-02
  This is an absolutely great book. My son loves having this book read to him while we commute on the subway in the morning. He never tires of it and especially loves the part about touching your toes, too small for basketball, and broccoli stew (ew!). It cracks him up everytime!!! Quite an enjoyable read.
  We have a lot of fun acting out and describing things in the pictures and the language is so simple and so catchy that you can't help but have a good starrt to your day.
  
  
• Wake up
  By A1DX0B31OD9KH2 on 2005-09-30
  It's hard to say that a book is not good. This book for me is good but my daughter is not interested at all.
  
  
• Squarely hits the toddler funny bone!
  By A2VTZQNV9O7L4M on 2001-10-05
  A true favorite with my toddler. He loves to act along (yawn-stretch-touch your toes) and practically skips pages to the "broccoli stew - ew!" part.
  
  
• Breakfast SMiles
  By A3MVOJ4KSYQWK7 on 2004-10-28
  My little guy is 6 months old and has adored this book for at least two months. The rhymes always make him smile. I agree that it is a bad message about being too big or too small for activities, and that broccoli stew is "ew!", but I use it as a learning experience (hippos don't like broccoli stew, but it is yummy for bunnies and little boys!). I have it memorized so if he gets upset while stuck in traffic, I can recite it to him and make him smile. I am ordering more of Boynton's books now.
  
  
• Been reading it over & over & over &....
  By A3VLBEXY93ZDFM on 2004-11-16
  We got this book from our pediatrician and my little boy-2 years old-absolutely loves it. He has always enjoyed books but this is the first one he has wanted me to keep reading over and over again. I have to tell him this is the last time and he gets upset when I finally put it down. I am definately getting more!
  
  
• Cute as always
  By A2EEEBRKJAUXAR on 2005-08-03
  You can't go wrong with a Boynton book. My grandchildren love them.
  
  
• Cute Book
  By A2LOR8YC0D27EN on 2007-01-12
  Catchy rhymes make this an endearing book. Kids get a laugh out of "broccoli stew". A typical book for Boynton.
  
  
• Yawn, stretch, eat, and giggle
  By A3NLJZI5NEOT0K on 2008-10-29
  There's no better way to develop a toddler's language skills than by playing around with words using rhyme and rhythym. That's exactly what Sandra Boynton uses in Hey! Wake Up, which is a tiny board story book about animals awakening and getting ready for their new day. In addition to the fun word play, the actions portrayed by the elephant, rabbit, and other animals are easy for kids to mimic, adding to the enjoyment and learning.
  
  
• Squarely hits the toddler funny bone!
  By on 2001-10-05
  A true favorite with my toddler. He loves to act along (yawn-stretch-touch your toes) and practically skips pages to the "broccoli stew - ew!" part.
  
  
• Boyton Rocks!
  By AS4D1GEMBQSA3 on 2007-09-24
  Sandra Boyton books are always a big hit at our house-she writes some terrific children's books that all kids seem to love!
  
  
• My daughter loves this book!!!
  By A4W6K2YWIKDLX on 2008-06-13
  My daughter is 10 months old and this is her favorite book. I've read it so much that I know much of it off the top of my head. Just hearing lines from this book is like music to my daughter's ears. She starts moving her head. The colors are beautiful too. We picked this book out when she was 7 months old. We have 2 other Sandra Boynton books but this is her favorite.
  
  

• Pajama Time!
• One, Two, Three! (Boynton on Board)
• Snuggle Puppy (Boynton on Board)
• Belly Button Book (Boynton on Board)
• Birthday Monsters! (Boynton on Board)