Goodnight Moon

Originally published in 1947, this bedtime story is now celebrating its 70th anniversary. The gentle, rhythmic poem is filled with goodnight wishes to help lull small children to sleep. In a great green room, a small rabbit is tucked up tight in his warm, snug bed. Preparing for sleep - or perhaps trying to delay it - the little rabbit wishes goodnight to everything in the room, including 'a little toy house and a young mouse', 'and a comb and a brush and a bowl full of mush'. This may be the perfect story for bedtime. The repetition and rhyme will allow young children to 'read' along, joining in with the story. The whimsical illustrations alternate between bold, full page coloured illustrations showing the whole room and small grey scale pictures that focus in on individual items and features within the room. Children will have fun spotting the items in the goodnight wishes within the room. They are all there, including an elusive little mouse that moves around the room. As the book comes to an end the room darkens, with the brightness of the stars, the fire and the windows in the toy house seeming to glow. Little rabbit can be seen sleeping soundly in the great green room. The soft rhythmic beat of the words alongside the rhyme make this books perfect for enchanting children to sleep. A firm favourite for bedtime. Picture book / Ages 0+ / Reviewed by Torie Walton, teacher.

Suggested Reading Age 0+