I Don't Want To Go To Bed

Story

The Little Princess doesn’t want to go to bed. She isn’t even tired. She makes various excuses to get up but the King and Queen are firm. However, when the King goes in to kiss her goodnight, her bed is empty again!

Why we chose it

A great bedtime story. Tony Ross’s Little Princess stories are popular with children and parents – many of whom will recognise the defiance and determination of the young princess.

Where it came from

Anthony Lee Ross (born 10 August 1938) is a British illustrator and picture book author. I Don’t Want To Go To Bed is part of his Little Princess picture book series. He was inspired to write the original Little Princess story, I Want My Potty (1986), when his daughter refused to leave hers to go to bed.

Where it went next

Since the 1980s the Little Princess series has sold copies in 31 languages. Other titles include I Want My Potty, I Don’t Want To Go To Bed, I Want My Dinner, I Don’t Want To Wash My Hands and I Want A Bunny. The books, including I Don’t Want to Go to Bed, were adapted as an animated television series and broadcast on Channel 5, beginning in October 2006.

Associated stories

Tony Ross has written over 100 books and illustrated over 2000. He has worked with a number of well-known authors including illustrating the Horrid Henry stories written by Francesca Simon, the Dr Xargle stories written Jeanne Willis, the Henry the Poisonous Centipede series by Lynne Read Banks and a number of David Walliams books including The World’s Worst Teacher, The World’s Worst Children, The Ice Monster, Slime, Beast and The Midnight Gang.