I’m a little ashamed to say this, but we didn’t have a copy of Goodnight Moon on our shelves until I bought a copy for Rowan this week. First published in 1947, I’m actually not sure whether this title was very prominent in Australia when I was growing up. It isn’t one I remember from my childhood, or even from my early bookselling days. Don’t know if I was under a rock – maybe other Aussies can shed some light…

I’m confident the same couldn’t be said of US readers, as the book seems to be have been a hugely popular classic there. It is of course very popular here now too. Numerous ‘celebrity mom’ citings of Goodnight Moon verge on the off-putting (especially if you have a perverse streak like me). Anyone from Hilary Clinton to Tori Spelling seems keen to mention Goodnight Moon. Even ‘our’ Cate and Naomi are fans.

At first reading, the text of Goodnight Moon may almost seem a little glib. But you soon realise its charm. The rhyming, lilting text is mesmerising and the repetition of the words and illustrations is just so comforting. It is the quintessential bedtime story.

The book got a resounding nod of approval from Rowan. He is going through a stage at the moment when he often resists new books, especially at bedtime when he refuses anything unfamiliar. But he picked up Goodnight Moon with some curiousity and happily listened to a first reading and then requested THREE further readings.

There’s a lovely post over on Collecting Children’s Books discussing the identity of the ‘quiet old lady’ who features in Goodnight Moon. Worth reading, especially if you remember the story from when you were young.

Ned and I bought this wonderful book last week and it is officially our favorite picture book of 2008. Cheeky Monkey is the new book written by Andrew Daddo and illustrated by Emma Quay, the team that also created the beautiful Goodnight Me.

Cheeky Monkey is one of those books that just grabs you from the first moment you pick it off the shelf. It gave me that little skip in the heart beat I get when I see something really beautiful.

The little boy Emma has created in this book instantly reminded me of Ned. He has the same beautiful toddler expressions that Ned has that make me ache with love for him. I adore how the character wraps his little leg around his dad as they get in the shower and how he leaps from the high chair for a cuddle just like Ned does.

Andrew Daddo’s text in this book is just simple and beautiful to read aloud. He uses all those funny little sayings that we all find ourselves using around little ones, well I do anyway. Silly Billy, Lucky Duck, Funny Bunny and of course Cheeky Monkey are all in there and leaving the most important till last, a big “I Love You!”

Goodnight Me was Andrew and Emma’s first picture book together and is also magic. Hear Andrew Daddo read their beautiful book here and you will fall in love with it too. On each page the little Orangutan baby says goodnight to a body part, reading this aloud is almost like a meditation, it is soft and lyrical making it perfect for bedtime. Emma’s illustrations are again incredible as she makes this little ape look so cuddly, he is a lovely fuzzy orange gangly creature against a stunning purple background that just makes the book so warm and inviting.

I have given Goodnight Me many times as a gift to little friends and also to one of my best girlfriends who has trouble sleeping. The other day some friends showed me their copy that I had given their little girl Amelie when she was born, much sticky tape had been used to repair the well loved pages as she and her little sister Olivia had wanted it read over and over again at bedtime.

Andrew and Emma obviously make a great team as they have created two instant classics and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Ned’s dad and I are loving the Sir David Attenborough/BBC production Tiger - Spy in the Jungle. It is so wonderfully filmed using the most incredible technology of trunk cams, in which elephants are used to place cameras disguised as tree trunks in strategic positions to get the most amazingly close footage of the elusive tigers.

This documentary is intimately following the lives of four tiger cubs as they grow up with their mother in the jungle of India. They really are the most beautiful and majestic animals!

While on holidays recently we found a copy of Nick Butterworth’s Tiger in hardcover and after having watched the first episode of Spy in the Jungle we just had to have it. Ned’s dad thinks it is very cute and it has become one of his favorites. I have always loved Butterworth for his beautiful clean, crisp illustration style that has developed from his graphic design background.

The Tiger of this story is actually a kitten, called Tiger, who enjoys pretending to be the real thing with “great big tigery claws and a loud scary, tigery ROAR!” On the middle of one page we see the adorable little kitten, so soft and cute and then on the next page he transforms into a real tiger taking up the whole page with his enormity.

The text flows so nicely that this picture book makes for an excellent read aloud and toddlers can join in with the repetition “just like a real tiger“.

Tiger is a beautiful story about the joys of imagination and pretend. And as the book ends with Tiger in bed it is also a perfect bedtime story.

Nick Butterworth has also created a companion book called Tiger in the Snow.

A guest post by Nicole, first-time mum to Charlotte, 22 months.
At about 7:30pm every night Charlotte and I (and sometimes her Daddy) sink into her bean bag and read some books before she settles into bed with Dolly. Charlotte heads straight to her book shelf and starts pulling books out for Mummy to read to her that night. She has a couple of favourites that always need a once over before bed.
Continuing the music theme from Trudy’s guest post, one of Charlotte’s favourite books is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. On the front cover you press a section which starts the nursery rhyme and lights up the sky with tiny twinkle stars. The twinkling stars mesmerised her as a baby. (It was always a good book to have on hand when she was unsettled.)
We never seem to get past the front cover of the book, once the song is over and the lights stop flashing, Charlotte says, “MORE, MORE” and we start the nursery rhyme again. Along with flashing lights, Charlotte also performs the actions to the nursery rhyme, very cute…

Once we get pass the front cover, the book is brought to life with some beautifully illustrated drawings. Five little creatures of the night take us on a journey to find out what twinkles in the bright night sky. It is very much a book that can be enjoyed over and over again.

The other book is Rabbit Ears by Amber Stewart, which Charlotte got for Easter from her Granny. Hopscotch is a very determined little rabbit who knows exactly what he likes and what he doesn’t like. Sounds a bit like Charlotte and most other two-year-olds. What Hopscotch knows for absolute certain is that he does not like having his ears washed. Charlotte can relate to Hopscotch, as she knows for absolute certain that she does not like having her hair washed…

Hopscotch’s big cousin Bobtail comes to stay overnight. While eating some extra-chocolaty chocolate cake, Hopscotch inquires as to when he too can go and stay at Bobtails. Daddy replies when you are a big Hopscotch. While Hopscotch and Bobtail are in the bath, Hopscotch notices that bobtail is washing his own ears. This is where Hopscotch realises that maybe if he washes his own ears this would make him a big Hopscotch and he would be able to go and stays at Bobtails house.

Laura Rankin’s illustrations are exquisite and along with the story it makes for an every enjoyable read.

My dear friend, Anne-Laure, reminded me of this book in a comment she left for us during our launch competition. Her twin boys, at two-and-a-half, are loving this book, and now Rowan is too. Most nights he is calling out for ‘Truck’ even before he is in his pyjamas…

Duck in the Truck comes from the very talented Jez Alborough, author of our previously reviewed, Hug!. Duck’s truck gets stuck in the muck, so Frog, Sheep and Goat all lend a hand. With the muck and mud involved, you can imagine the mess, but somehow Duck avoids a sticky end.

The combination of a few different vehicles, some mud and expressive animal characters make it a hit for Rowan. And the rhyming text makes it fun to read aloud. There’s nothing worse than a book that tries to rhyme but doesn’t quite hit the mark, but this one is spot-on.

Here is Rowan and his dad, and Rowan’s great mate, Jake, when we babysat him the other night. By the look of Rowan’s ‘Shhhh!’, I’d say they are reading Doggies by Sandra Boynton. Reading three, four or more books is a much-anticipated part of Rowan’s bedtime routine and a lovely time for a cuddle.

Doggies is great for dog-loving babies and toddlers. It’s a counting book with a difference; a fantastic read-aloud, as the reader gets to perform a rendition of barks of all kinds… Rowan loves it.

Check out Lou’s previous post for her Top 5 Going to Bed books, including another Sandra Boynton title…

Back in print and available at bookshops now are Henry’s Bath and Henry’s Bed, aren’t they beautiful? They are now published by Walker Books and have been missing for too long. Illustrated by the incredible Ron Brooks, these pictures books are so warm and cuddly, the perfect picture books for toddlers that have issues with the bath or bedtime.

Brooks also illustrated one of my all time favorite picture books and one that is easily considered a classic in Australian children’s literature; John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat. Written by Jenny Wagner it is a really special story about friendship, devotion and dealing with change, it is beautiful to share with children when they may be experiencing change like a new baby in the family. It was first published in 1977 and won the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award in 1978.

We spent a lovely morning in the park this morning in Carlton with Ned’s mate Oscar and his mummy. It was a little windy!

After our play and a lovely coffee from Tre Bicchieri, Ned and I went to visit my favorite shop Belki in Rathdowne Street. It’s a gorgeous gift shop that is just filled with the most beautiful collection of goodies; bags, jewelery, ceramics, baby things and more.

I couldn’t go past buying this little beauty for myself…

It’s a lined notebook made by Library+, designed and printed in Australia. They have created some gorgeous characters to decorate their stationary range that includes notepads, book marks and even library bags (I need one of those also). I fell in love with the jacket because of the parliament of owls on the jacket. I have always been fascinated by collective nouns and I quite love owls. Not sure why but I think they are pretty cute, maybe it’s because they are wise and bookish.

What I wasn’t aware of was that inside the cover of the book is a little library card in it’s own little pocket. Irresistible.

Then in their children’s section I found another gem. A picture book called Little Hoot about, yes, owls. I just had to buy it for Ned as an Easter present. The illustrations in this book are just divine, I’m just so glad I have discovered illustrator Jen Corace. It is published by Chronicle who design the most beautiful books perfectly.

The author Amy Krouse Rosenthal has created a story that is a twist on the usual getting children to bed routine. Little Hoot goes to school, plays with his friends and then wants to go to bed at a normal time like his non owl friends. However his mum and dad have different plans for him, of course he must stay up late and play like a good owl. Poor little Hoot is very grumpy indeed and counts down his play time until he can go to bed. It is such a fun take on reverse psychology I’m sure it is going to be read in our house many times.

Ned with Goodnight Harry, a true favorite when it gets cuddles in your sleep!

Poor Ned (9 months) has been sick this week so we have been reading lots of stories to make him feel better. Our, Ned and I, favourite of the moment is Goodnight Harry by Kim Lewis. I have always loved her pastel illustrations as they are so soft and look so tactile, you feel like you can just walk into her landscapes and pat her animals. Her books are all based around English farm life, with her main series based on a border collie called Floss. The Harry in Goodnight Harry is a beautiful brown toy elephant who can’t sleep. His friends Lulu, the toy lamb and Ted, the ted, have already fallen asleep but Harry is having trouble, so thinking he is not really tired yet he decides to try and wear himself out. When that fails he lies in bed and begins to worry, this is where I can really relate to Harry as often I lie in bed and worry also, it just makes me want to hug Harry. His friends Lulu and Ted wake up and sit quietly with Harry, making him feel loved until he is ready in his own time to fall asleep. I find this picture book so touching and it’s so relevant in this day and age when it is proven that children begin to worry from a very young age. It is always nice to know that you are safe and loved – that would help anyone sleep!

The colour in this cover image is quite washed out the colours in real life are much stronger.

Top 5 GOING TO BED BOOKS…

1. Goodnight Harry (Kim Lewis) 8+ months

2. Goodnight Me (Andrew Daddo and Emma Quay) – Andrew Daddo, yes one of those Daddo brothers, wrote this for his children and now it is a delightful book. Quay brings this little orang-utan (I didn’t know they could be so cute) to life as he say goodnight to his whole body. You will giggle when he says Goodnight to his bottom! Almost like a meditation ritual this book is simple and so beautiful. 6+ months

3. The Going to Bed Book (Sandra Boynton) – Boynton is always fun and silly. This book is a lovely way to have a laugh with your bubba as her crazy animals get ready for bed in the silliest ways. 8+ months

4. Time for Bed (Men Fox and Jane Dyer) – Rhythmic like a lullaby this book is perfect for little ones going to bed. Dyer’s illustrations are the perfect companion as they picture security and comfort of mummy and daddy animals then finally the little toddler falls asleep with his mummy. 6+ months

5. Sophie’s Big Bed (Tina Burke) – Gosh, this girl’s illustration is just divine! With all her books it is not about the text as much as it is about her pictures. The children have so much expression and their smiles light up the pages. In this book Sophie is graduating from her much loved cot to a big bed and as you can see from the front cover it really is a BIG BED. 6+ months

I have found with Ned that bedtime books like these are effective in the way that you read them. Ned responds really well to the comforting and lulling tone in my voice, he looks at my mouth to see where the noise is coming from and will actually even try and reach up and touch my mouth. As I start to read it is amazing to see him physically stop and listen intently to what I’m reading, this is why I love being a mum.