Our family’s favorite children’s books for settling kids down and preparing for bedtime. These books are made up of soothing illustrations and nursery rhyme-like prose.
We have a lot of favorite books in my house. My kids love to be read to and, because I enjoy reading so much, I’m happy to oblige. While we have a lot of favorite books, there are only a few that I like to read right before bedtime.
Where the Wild Things Are and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom are classics- and two of our favorites- for a reason, but they aren’t always conducive to winding down and preparing to sleep. Because of that, we save them for another time of day and reach for one of these bedtime favorites instead.
1. Bedtime for Little Bears! by David Bedford
This is G.’s current favorite bedtime story. He loves all the arctic animals featured, and I love the vivid language, the soft illustrations, and the sweet relationship between the baby bear and the mama bear.
2. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
The illustrations are earthy and the message is one every parent wants to convey to their child: there’s nothing you can do to change my love for you. It’s the perfect thought to leave a child with before a night of sleep.
3. On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
A celebration of the awe and rejoicing that accompanies a child’s birth, this story is one that will touch the parent or grandparent reading it just as much as it will the child listening.
4. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
It’s another Margaret Wise Brown book, but Goodnight Moon is a classic for a reason. It’s low-key and without any real storyline to excite kids. Instead, you’ll find gentle illustrations and quiet poetry that reads like a soothing nursery rhyme.
5. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Unlike the quirky rhymes that Silverstein is known for, The Giving Tree is a touching story with a deep meaning. The illustrations are simple and clean and the storyline is timeless.
What are your favorite bedtime stories?
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