"Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed?," the latest children's storybook from author/illustrator Barney Saltzberg, takes readers through the zany bedtime routine of Cornelius P. Mud, a very silly pig.

The subject is a ritual all young children are familiar with, getting ready for bed. The spirited Cornelius, however, puts his own special twist on the bedtime routine. Sure, he puts his toys away -- in the refrigerator! Yes, he puts on his pajamas -- and his snorkel, and his rollerblades and his swimming pool float!

What really makes "Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed?" funny is the way Saltzberg uses the illustrations to tell us the real story. The text is simple and straightforward, innocent enough. It's in the pictures that we catch on to Cornelius' antics and get to see the mischievous gleam in his eye.

" Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed?" is a hilarious, vibrantly illustrated story. Read this to your children if you want them to fall asleep smiling. No matter how unhappy they are about having to go to bed, they won't be able to resist Cornelius' "charms."