Some of the verse in this picture book is quite irregular, but a few practices will see it tripping off the tongue, and the illustrations more than make up for  a few extra syllables here and there. It’s a countdown to bedtime, as the title suggests, with an all New Zealand cast of characters, except for the fruit bats. I don’t think our native bats are fruit bats, but never mind. There’s a kiwi on every page, attempting to disguise himself amongst the other skinks,  fantails, black stilts, bats, snails, snapper, wood pigeons, frogs, giant weta, and tui. So heaps to look at, lovely colour, and great fun. The caricature animals capture the essence of each beast effectively and there is lots of other native nature to point out or look for.