Good Night, Oliver Wizard

September 23, 2019
A father helps his restive, cape-wearing, wand-wielding child get ready for bed, reminding him that “even... wizards need to sleep.” Celestial and soporific illustrations echo Oliver’s flights of fancy and anxieties about the “scary things” in his room. Though Oliver stalls, demanding cereal and a story and asking questions galore, his father coaxes him along his bedtime routine, encouraging the child to use his “best and most magical spell” to allay his fears. Dotlich’s phrasing is sometimes awkward—“Light or dark, dark or light, stay away scary things tonight,” goes Oliver’s chant—but in all, this is a gentle, comforting adventure sure to help little wizards settle into sleep. Ages 3–7.

July 1, 2019
This bedtime story is full of charming wishes and spells. It appears to be a typical evening as Oliver prepares for bedtime with dad in tow. Putting on his magical cape and grabbing his wizard wand, Oliver parades around his house casting spells. Typical nighttime routines presented include a before-bed snack, tooth-brushing, and a bedtime story. Detailed and delightful illustrations mirror Oliver's wishes, imaginings, and fears of the dark. Throughout Oliver's endeavors, his father happily follows Oliver's wishes but reminds him of the importance of sleep, emphasizing to young readers that even "wizards need sleep." When it's time for a bedtime story, Oliver's imagination comes alive and readers see his magical mind at work. Each time Oliver gets scared he casts his "best and most magical spell," and his father always tells him, "That should do it," confirming that nighttime fears can be pushed away. When Oliver casts his final spell by himself, he whispers his father's reassurance: "That should do it," illustrating to readers that a caregiver's influence and love lend a child the security they need. Father and son present white. A sweet adventure that will calm young readers before bedtime. (Picture book. 3-5)

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August 1, 2019
Preschool-G Nighttime is when all good wizards go to bed, and little Oliver, who considers himself a wizard (he has the red cape and wand to prove it), leads his father in their nightly game of "Follow the Wizard." We come along as father and son move through the house and Oliver uses spells to cast out anything scary. As they go from one bedtime hang-up to another, we see how simple rituals like brushing teeth are transformed by Oliver's imagination. Masse's mixed-media illustrations, heavy on deep blues and punctuated with yellow stars, are filled with fun fantasy details, such as the conical hats worn by the owls perched outside (mirrored by the conical shapes of the surrounding neighborhood homes). As Oliver shares his various fears, his father tells him to use spells to make them disappear, one by one. Fun and reassuring, this is a magical take on the traditional bedtime book, filled with a child's usual delaying tactics but also with spells, incantations, and one very patient parent.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)