Great Picture Books for Going To Bed

Not that bedtime is a topic needed to improve behavior or teach morals, but I feel that naptime and bedtime are by far the most important times to read to our children.  We certainly should read books at other times or we run the risk that kids will dislike reading (because it must mean it is time to go to sleep!).  We have a very regular "quiet-time" and bedtime routine and it almost always works.  Last night we even had one fall asleep in the middle of a book!

Some of these books are classics, others are just our favorite finds that I love to share with people.  I love great art - the whimsical animals of Bedtime Hullaballo, the fantastical images of The Tickle Tree and the creative collages of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.  

Many of these books we have read so often that we know them word for word, even 2 year old Camden.  We discovered them through our local library.  When we didn't want to take them back, and then borrowed them subsequent times, we occasionally decide to add some of our favorites to our permanent collection.  

By far, our family favorite at bedtime is...

If Animals Kissed Goodnight 
by Ann Whitford Paul, illustrated by David Walker
The rhythm and rhyme make for a great read.  Kids really enjoy seeing how animals may kiss goodnight - they even like to try some of the methods out!  

Ann Whitford Paul must adore a good bedtime story, because she has written other great bedtime books: Snail's Good Night, Little Monkey Says Good Night, and Owl at Night

Of course, I must mention Bedtime Hullaballoo by David Conway, illustrated by Charles Fuge - from our favorite author/illustrator. Also from Charles Fuge: I Know A Rhino and This Is The Way - these and If Animals Kissed Goodnight all are creative takes on childrens' stuffed animal friends. See more about these books in my first post - Our Absolute Favorite Author/Illustrator.

We love Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Kate Toms
The hand-stitched illustrations from Kate Toms are so creatively crafted, any of her books are worth checking out.  The added verses to this very traditional tune are wonderful as well.

The Sleepy Little Alphabet: A Bedtime Story from Alphabet Town by Judy Sierra, illustrated by Melissa Sweet
We love alphabet books and this is an excellent one!  Reinforce learning the ABC's while putting them to sleep.  Beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written.

Recent favorite finds: 
The Tickle Tree 

by Chae Strathie, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

Before I go to sleep 
by Ronne Randall and Tony Kerins

Interrupting Chicken 
by David Ezra Stein

Sleepyhead 
by Karma Wilson, illustrated by John Segal

Best Bedtime Classics: 
Guess How Much I Love You 
by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram

Goodnight Moon 
by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

The Napping House 
by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

Some nights when we need extra calming activities we have found wonderful interactive bedtime stories for our iPad: Goodnight Safari, Grolly's Animal Adventures, Miss Spider's Bedtime Story, and Nighty Night! HD. You can find more information about these on my page Best Learning Books & App's.  

We love new books at our house - if you love any other literature on this topic, please share!

Our Absolute Favorite Author/Illustrator

I have always loved books. My entire life I have been fascinated with them, the beauty of them.  I was an advanced reader at a young age and just wouldn't put books down.  I still find myself doing that, although in the past few years it is usually Childrens' Picture books that catch my fancy.  Of course, these do combine two of my favorite things: literature and art.  


Picture books can be truly engaging, educational and beautiful.  My husband and I spend a lot of time reading books to our children, ages 2 and 5.  They in turn spend a lot of time curled up with their favorite books.  Our 5 year old, Greysen, is just grasping basic reading skills, so a whole new world of reading is opening up to him.  Camden, our precocious 2 year old, will rarely sit still, but loves to sit in front of the bookcase and "read" all of the books - her often word-for-word retelling is amazing.


I think books hold an amazing power for children to learn and grow.  Not simply for the language skills, but also the life lessons.  I will try to label all of the books that I post so that the topics covered are easier to access.  My local librarians are incredibly helpful when it's come to finding books on particular topics: sharing, anger, loss, bullying.  I have looked in the past for a website to help me find great books within these topics, but have found none.  If you know of any, please share them here.  


What better way to start this blog than with our favorite author/illustrator, Charles Fuge. This does not cover one particular topic, but we enjoy his books so thoroughly that he must be the first thing that we share.

I believe our first encounter with Charles Fuge was with his book I Know a Rhino.  We happened upon it at the local library and oh what fun!  


"I know a Rhino, We like to take tea, I have two sugars, and Rhino has three"


Very simple rhyming and fun animal illustrations.  That is probably what we love most about Fuge's books.  I don't know a child that doesn't adore animals and his illustrations certainly make the animals adorable.  


Sadly, this book is out of print, but you can find it at the library or in used format (that's where I got our copy).


When I discover an author/illustrator that I love, I enjoy searching out their other literature.  We have found that we like (and subsequently own) nearly everything that Fuge has written/illustrated.  

Bedtime Hullabaloo! is by far our favorite book.  Written by David Conway and illustrated by Charles Fuge, Bedtime Hullabaloo! is just so much darn fun.  While I've read some critics feel that the alliteration and wordplay is uneven, my whole family thinks it is great fun.  


"One night on the silly savannah a ludicrous leopard is leapfrogging to bed..."


Greysen and Camden can recite the whole book (and can tell someone when they've read it incorrectly!).  We plan to share it at a Campfire Stories event at our library this week.


Once again, Fuge's illustrations are playful and amusing images of animals.  

We have read every book on the list below of Fuge's works and loved them all.  His earlier works are not as playful, the animal illustrations are a little more realistic, but still beautiful.   We usually give gifts of books and those pictured here are top choice!

Greysen and Camden's review of all of the above books: "We love the animals and the stories that have stuffed animals.  We love the animals.  We love the animals!"

I tried to label each book as to the main topics or themes covered.  I will likely revisit many of these books in future posts.  

Charles Fuge Illustrated Books
Title	Author	Labels
Whale is Stuck/Whale Gets Stuck	Hayles, Karen	cooperation, problem solving
Flea's Best Friend	Fuge, Charles	dogs
Dinosaurs! : a spot-the-difference puzzle book	Parker, Steve	puzzle
Sam's Sneaker Search	O'Brien, Claire	lost, found, shoes
My dad!	Fuge, Charles	dad, father
It's a Monster Party!	Pym, Tasha	differences, new friends
I Know a Rhino	Fuge, Charles	bedtime, animals, rhyme
Trumpet: the little elephant with a big temper	Clarke, Jane	temper, tantrum, anger
I Love It When You Smile	McBratney, Sam	bad day, bad mood, smiling
Yes We Can!	McBratney, Sam	individuality, friendship
This is the Way	Fuge, Charles	animal sounds, animal actions
Yip!Snap!Yap!	Fuge, Charles	sounds
Astonishing Animal ABC	Fuge, Charles	ABC, alphabet, animals
Bedtime Hullabaloo	Conway, David	bedtime
Three Little Dinosaurs	Fuge, Charles	flight, dinosaurs, friends
Wombat Series:
Sometimes I Like to Curl up in a Ball	Churchill, Vicki	favorite things, bedtime
Found You, Little Womat!	McAllister, Angela	getting lost, being found
Swim, Little Wombat, Swim!	Fuge, Charles	making new friends, differences
Where To, Little Wombat!	Fuge, Charles	adventure, home
The Adventures of Little Wombat	multiple	(includes the first four books)
Watch Out, Little Wombat!	Fuge, Charles	imagination, monsters
Gilbert Series:
Gilbert the Great	Clarke, Jane	loss, making new friends
Gilbert in Deep	Clarke, Jane	fearless, danger, adventure
Gilbert the Hero	Clarke, Jane	baby, brother