Buy this Book: "Stop Snoring, Bernard!" by Zachariah OHora

cover image source: stopsnoringbernard.com



I've bought three copies of this book this year. The first time I bought it was from Froggie's. If you ever find yourself in Dallas, you have to visit Froggie's- although it carries a great variety of toys, greeting cards, and goofy gifts, Froggie's book selection is their best-kept secret. Someone at Froggie's has fantastic taste in illustrated children's books, and they mix classics with really fun new books that would be impossible to stumble on in a large bookstore.

Anyway, Stop Snoring, Bernard! is currently my favorite illustrated children's book and go-to baby gift of 2010. The illustrations are fresh and fun, and OHora manages to both convey plot and detail without overloading the page. This book is the story of Bernard the otter, whose snoring is so loud that it bothers all the other animals at the zoo. He can't find a place to sleep that doesn't anger his fellow otters and other zoo residents. Displaced and rejected from one area after another, Bernard finally trudges away, ready to leave the zoo in self-imposed exile. Along the way, we see otters in water polo caps, tragic otter emotions, and everyday objects rendered with retro details. They're completely different than but absolutely in the spirit of Richard Scarry's detailed, industrial little worlds. I wanted to hug the zookeeper's vehicles and the tiny turnstiles at the zoo exit.
Bernard doesn't have annoying, repetitive phrases that are the bane of having to read a book to your friends' babies and children, and both babies and kids seem drawn to Bernard's friendly looks and the [spoiler alert!] happy ending and otter reunion. There aren't many female characters in the book (if any?) but there are plenty of fun voices to do and a mix of emotions to make reading aloud fun. I've caught my grown-up friends reading it solo, so that should speak to the plot and the suspense that builds during Bernard's quest.

What I didn't know about  was that it wasn't my special secret. The author, Zachariah OHora (I don't know how/if he punctuates his last name, or if I've gotten the capitalization correct, so if someone knows that it's incorrect please let me know) has a really fun website just for Bernard, but also a separate illustration site, too.

Add Bernard to your "books for friend's new baby" list. You'll look much more modern than the person bringing a third copy of Corduroy to the book shower, and you'll enjoy sneaking a read before you wrap it up, I promise!