Charlie is rude and inconsiderate. However, the other animals are, too. And since all Charlie wants to do is to go to sleep, it is understandable why he is grumpy. Yet, there is nothing redeeming about any of the characters. The only funny part is when Charlie is so tired that he puts his slippers in the water glass, hugs his rug and looks for teddy bears in the night stand. Adults can relate to being in a state of that much exhaustion. The twist ending is slightly seen, but at the same time is a bit of a surprise.
Over all the illustrations are weak for me. They are too crude for my tastes. They might fit the tone of the book, but there is nothing fun about them. I can appreciate the work that Kris Di Giacomo has put into them, but they are not new favorites. The same with Michael Escoffier’s text. Sleep Tight, Charlie had the potential to be a nice story about friendship and understanding and it turns into just another grumpy bunny story.
The author and illustrator blurbs about these collaborators does shed some light on why this book is not for me. It is possibly translated from French. While I have nothing against that, I do find that books with a more distinct European feel and/or have been translated are ones that I rarely enjoy. That is not to say I never like them, but I usually find I am less than a fan. And sadly, Charlie and I did not make a friendship today.