Creative and inventive minds can make even the simplest task complicated and time-consuming. That’s the premise behind this picture book in which a young pig has set up an extravagant chain reaction in order to turn off his nightstand light. There is a method—or reason—behind his madness: his parents want the lights off at eight, but he doesn’t like falling asleep in the dark. So when he pulls the light cord string that hangs above his bed, it sets off an extended kinetic response that covers all four stories (basement to attic) of his house. When the last step involving a pulley, fulcrum, and sand is finally executed, the light switches off next to a pig that is peacefully asleep. Arthur Geisert’s delightful, detailed illustrations lay out each and every step of the process, which features a wealth of everyday objects used in highly original ways. (Ages 5–9)

Mama and Papa are firm: lights out at eight o’clock. But their little piglet is afraid of the dark. They say, “If you can figure something out, go ahead.” So the piglet devises an ingenious series of contraptions that allow him to obey his parents while still keeping the light on long enough to fall asleep. Dominoes, tricycles, bowling balls, and baseball bats play a part as each action and reaction leads gradually to the final tug on the lamp’s switch. Follow Arthur Geisert’s detailed etchings as they reveal each step of kinetic wonder leading gradually to lights out.