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Story Times: AGES 2-5
These choices are outstanding read-alouds any time of day, but they will seem especially magical as you’re winding down at night.
By Maria Russo
The best bedtime books for preschoolers bring a little bit of mischief into the mix. Yes, the end goal is to prepare your little dynamo for a restful night’s sleep, but with the preschool crowd, you don’t want to be too obvious about that. To me, all of these excellent night-themed picture books strike the perfect balance.
It’s not that Blanche doesn’t want to go to sleep. The problem is night itself: so gray, and “such a pain!” The worst part is you can’t even play. Trying to chase away the moon, she bangs a drum and bursts into song, ignoring her mother’s calls from the doorway. Soon her bed is a trampoline. With adorable, shadowy drawings, this one is a refreshing c’est la vie take on bedtime conflict. The mom stays offstage — when Blanche finally conks out it’s from sheer exhaustion.
After the little girl in this comics-style story plays with her stuffed rabbit, Planet, she falls asleep — and Planet heads off for some nighttime fun. The family dog and a friendly mouse join him for frolicking and cookies, including an awe-inspiring view of the moon, “the biggest cookie ever.” When the girl wakes up, Planet is back in the bed, motionless. This fast-moving yet profoundly sweet story is just the thing for those nights when certain youngsters have a hard time settling down. Bonus: It’s also available in Spanish (“Buenas Noches, Planeta”).
When a nest of baby owls wakes up to find their mother missing, they’re afraid, naturally — there’s a lot to worry about! But she comes back, giving this deservedly popular book a thrilling and reassuring ending. The illustrations are delightful, too, making the nervous little owls impossibly cute and their nest as cozy as can be.
[ Our editor recommends great bedtime books for babies and toddlers. ]
A mama bear tells her child three bedtime stories in this imaginative and stunningly illustrated book. In one story, the Night Guardian tells Earth’s creatures when bedtime comes, using a gong to unite them with “all life.” The other stories are equally dreamy, pulling you into a gorgeous, weird, gentle magical world. You’ll keep turning the pages for the incredible pictures, too, with their generous pops of hot pink.
Mickey falls out of his bed, through the ceiling and into the cake batter being prepared in the Night Kitchen. Can he bust his way out? You bet, with ingenious, zany flair. This Sendak classic still delights and enthralls the kids, and there’s lots for the grown-ups to pay attention to in the groovy, detail-filled art. When a frisky bedtime book is called for, this is the gold standard.
Little Star’s mother sets a freshly baked mooncake out to cool on the night sky in this story that’s about the Chinese Autumn Moon festival, but is wonderful as a bedtime book all year long. You might even use it to explain why the moon changes shape each night. The inky black pages are a rich background for magnificent gold stars and Little Star herself, with her adorable high jinks as the moon goes through its phases.
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In this gorgeous, comforting book, a sleepy little rabbit is carried through city streets by her mother, giving children the chance to see all the ways the world settles down as bedtime approaches. Somehow the rabbit characters seem human as they make dinner, watch TV, brush their teeth. It’s a perfect story to end any day, and help a little one welcome the night and sleep.
This lovely book combines the fun of a sleepover with the sweetness of a moment of hushed gratitude for all the wonders of the world. A little girl is putting her stuffed rabbit to bed when he asks if he can invite two friends, an elephant and a bear, for a sleepover. The three friends jump and play before settling down to more serious bedtime business. The art is small, soft and exquisite, and the mood is reassuring.
[ Short and snappy books can help young children start their reading lives with a jolt of pleasure. ]
This one is part of the irresistible Charlie and Lola series, with its adorable collaged art and endlessly appealing characters. Charlie is the ultimate long-suffering older brother, and Lola is the little sister full of wacky, exhausting ideas — especially just before bedtime. Of course Charlie is up to the task of helping her settle down.