Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

My previous entry was on the sleep routine I had more or less established with Musa. Right after that posting, I noticed some changes in Musa’s sleep patterns – he has been taking naps much later in the afternoon (around 3pm) and going to bed well past 11pm! Reading up on the developmental growth of toddlers his age made me realize that this is to be expected. I’m lucky that he still wants to take daytime naps -- many kids forego it altogether.

Still on the subject of sleep, one of our favourite books for bedtime reading – a 1947 classic which I much recommend – is Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon. It’s a quiet and calming book, perfect to share a moment together before bedtime.

The story, set in a little bunny rabbit’s large bedroom, relates to the hour before he finally closes his eyes to go to sleep. In the beginning, we see that he’s tucked in bed by 7pm. The room is still bright, his toys and things scattered around, and he’s fidgeting about (as all kids do at bedtime!).

Then one by one, and page by page, we say goodnight to all the things in his room – the chairs, the picture of the three bears (probably the ones featured in Goldilocks!), the red balloon, the comb, the air, the noises everywhere!

The illustrations by Clement Hurd are simple but give plenty to talk about with a child. He uses vibrant colours of yellows and greens, blues and reds…and interestingly, the pictures, as you turn page by page, becomes progressively darker, the shadows become longer…to illustrate that day is turning to night! That’s a great cue to teach a child to associate darkness with bedtime, and all the time reassure them that there will be new things to do when they wake up the next day.

Moms or dads can snuggle up with their child in bed and go through the book, page by page, to signal the end of an active day. When the last page has been turned, they can together go through their own ritual to say goodnight to all the things in their own room – turn the lights off, and using a flashlight, point to things in the dark and “officially” say goodnight to all of them.

Goodnight Moon
By Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by Clement Hurd
Published by Harper Trophy / Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN: 9780064430173
Price: USD6.99
Recommended for ages 0-3