Now that Daylight Savings time is over, the nights are longer making bedtime a cozy time to cuddle up with a good bedtime story. The following books are all picture books, unless otherwise indicated, and are good for ages three through seven.
It’s So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book, by Sherri Dusky Rinker and digitally illustrated wonderfully covering every open page by Tony Fucile, shows a little mouse inside his large farm house getting ready to sleep. He complains to his mother that it’s too quiet for him to sleep. But as you progress through his night, it becomes evident that from all of the sounds of his house, nature and animals outside, nighttime is definitely not so quiet. This is great fun to read out loud. (Chronicle-eva Zimmerman)
5 Minute Furry Friends Stories, published by Disney Press and brightly illustrated by the Disney Storybook Art team, is a compilations of short stories with well-known Disney animals for children to thoroughly enjoy. There are twelve quick stories that include new stories from The Lion King, Dumbo, Up and Coco. These stories are just what parents need when trying to settle down youngsters to sleep without taking much time. (Disney -Christine Saunders )
Gigantosaurus: 5-Minute Stories, by Cyber Group Studios and published by Candlewick, is a book with seven stories and large, bright pictures made digitally perfect for bedtime. Each story has a valuable theme that children can learn from. Some of these themes include of the value of friendship and what makes each of us special. Each story is fun, humorous and full of adventure. (Candlewick)
The Children’s Moon, by Carmen Agra Deedy and gorgeously Illustrated with acrylics and pencil on Arches watercolor paper by Jim LaMarche, is a beautiful tale about the sun and the moon. Long ago, when the moon only came out at night while the sun graced the day, the moon heard children’s voices laughing in joy. Since children back then went to bed as the sun went down, the moon never had a chance to see or hear them. Read how the moon cleverly worked out a plan for the sun and achieve the goal. There are multi-level lessons to be learned in this extraordinary picture book. (Schola)
Wolfboy, by Andy Harkness, has the most amazing and intriguing illustrations that make this book outstanding in every way. The story is cute and fun but the illustrations will surprise you in how imaginative they are. The story is about very hungry Wolfboy and sees little rabbits hiding from him. Throughout the book, they’re quite crafty at alluding him. And the ending is fun. But the illustrations were made with clay. Everything you see on each page is sculptured down to the smallest detail. These illustrations are extraordinary and add humor and delight to the storyline. Be sure to check out the endpages! (Bloomsbury-Ksenia.Winnicki)
Pillow Places, byJoseph Kuefler, celebrates the use of pillows. This lyrical story is led by the bold, full page illustrations with a limited text throughout. A boy is dropped off by his parent to a new house with another boy about the same age. How they break the ice and become friends is through the adventures and explorations using pillows. After a full day, pillows help them sleep. (Harper)
Strange Planet: The Sneaking, Hiding, Vibrating Creature, by Nathan W. Pyle, is a favorite story of mine and will likely become one with your family begging to be read again and again at bedtime. This pink-and blue book is told through the eyes of strange-looking aliens as they navigate through their house following a very strange creature as they try to mimic it. What the reader sees is a cat and the bluish aliens are mystified as it begins to vibrate, (otherwise known as purring). This digitally made illustrations are great fun and the text will likely get many giggles from the reader. This book begs to be read out loud. (Harper)
Secret, Secret Agent Guy, by Kira Bigwood and digitally illustrated with full-page color by Celia Krampien, is the ultimate spy story for kids who sneak and peak at night while parents are asleep or busy and attempt the ultimate conjecture of espionage: in this case-a large candy lollipop. The rhyming tale includes the spy’s best friends such as walk-in-talkies, homemade nighttime binoculars and a case to hold your spy materials. But something goes wrong. You’ll have to read how this turns out quite humorously. This is a delight. (Simon)
Fox & Chick: The Sleepover and Other Stories, by Sergio Ruzzier, is fun and simple storytelling through visual narrative sequences and speech balloons. The three stories begins with The Sleepover with bossy Chick coming over to the mild-mannered Fox and telling him that he’s there for a sleepover. And so begins the rest of the story that is fun and funny. The illustrations are rich with color and a delight as you witness the expressions of the main characters. They were done in pen, ink and watercolor. (Chronicle)
It’s So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book, by Sherri Dusky Rinker and digitally illustrated wonderfully covering every open page by Tony Fucile, shows a little mouse inside his large farm house getting ready to sleep. He complains to his mother that it’s too quiet for him to sleep. But as you progress through his night, it becomes evident that from all of the sounds of his house, nature and animals outside, nighttime is definitely not so quiet. This is great fun to read out loud. (Chronicle-eva Zimmerman)
