Best Kids Books

Some of the most beloved children’s books feature kids who have adventures at bedtime. Although not bedtime books that lull kids into sleep, they do give going to bed seem a little bit magical – like anything could happen. We tried out 6 books that were listed in at least one top 100 kids books lists (you can find the list at the bottom of the post).

1. Where The Wild Things Are

The story of a boy who being so wild, his mother sent him to bed without supper, went on a wild adventure and then decided that perhaps home wasn’t so bad after all. This book ends up near the top of many lists of great kids books and it’s on our as well. Gordie and I have loved reading this book together. It’s a strange little book but the idea of being ‘king of the wild things’ instead of scared of the monsters is captivating.

2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

This book is a little wordier than the others on this list. All the food for the citizens of Chewandswallow come raining down from the sky which is a great system until the food starts becoming more than the town can handle. This book is ridiculously silly and will be loved by preschoolers and younger school children. This book was a little long for Gordie (aged 3) but we still recommend it.

3. Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold goes on an imaginative adventure armed with his purple crayon to help him on his way. The drawings in this book are simple but captivating. I originally found this book by looking at top 100 kids books lists. I have loved reading this book to Gordie and he loves hearing it again and again. This book inspired him to try to draw his own crayon adventures.

4. In The Night Kitchen

A truly strange little book like a dream come to life, this book features Mickey who goes on a fantastic adventure in the Night Kitchen. I found this book to be a little too ridiculous for me but Gordie was kind of captivated and asked me to read it a few times.

5. Owl Moon

Unlike the other books we reviewed this week, this book features a real adventure that takes place at what would normally be bed time. This book has a lovely rhythm and tells the story of a father and child going out owling (owl spotting). This is a nice little story but not gripping for my 3 year old boy.

6. There’s a Nightmare in My Closet

The story of a boy who have a monster in his closet. When he confronts the monster, it starts to cry and the boy ends up bringing him into bed with him. This is a kind of cute story to read your kid if they are having trouble going to sleep at night because of nightmares and monsters. It turns the idea of the scary monster upside down and may help your kid feel a little less scared. Gordie thought this books was kind of interesting and it wasn’t a long read, but I didn’t really like the illustrations.

Our Favorite Tried and Tested Books Preschool Bedtime Books :

1. Where The Wild Things Are
2. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
3. Harold and the Purple Crayon

 

Book Lists

Children’s Book Guide top 100 Children’s Books:
Where the Wild Things Are, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Harold and the Purple Crayon, In The Night Kitchen

Babble’s top 100 kids books:
None!

Teachers First 100 Best Books:
Where the Wild Things Are
Kern Country Library 100 Picture Books Every Child Should Know:
Where the Wild Things Are, Harold and the Purple Crayon, There’s a Nightmare in My Closet

New York Public Library 100 Picture Books Every Child Should Know:
Where the Wild Things Are, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Owl Moon

Goodreads Best Children’s Books (top 300):
Where the Wild Things Are, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Harold and the Purple Crayon, In The Night Kitchen, Owl Moon

Complementing my last post on Toddler Bedtime Books, this time we took a look at 5 bedtime books for preschoolers that were each recommended by at least one top 100 list. We had only read one of the books before – I wouldn’t add any of the ‘new to us’ books to our top 100 list, but there were a couple pretty cute ones.

1. Llama Llama Red Pajama

Anna Dewdney 2005 – This book didn’t work for me at all. I found it really frustrating to read because when I say Llama, Mama, and Pajama – they do not all rhyme. Which is sort of essential to reading it properly. I could force it if I put on an affected accent, but I kind of wanted to chuck the book at the wall instead. We didn’t manage to get all the way through this book because Gordie and I both lost interest.

2. The Napping House

Audrey Wood 1984 – This book on the other hand I did enjoy reading. It’s done in the style of song and stories like “There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” where more and more things get added to the pattern until it falls apart at the end. Gordie on the other hand was less impressed. Although he listened happily the first time I read it to him, I haven’t been able to convince him to let me read it to him again.

3. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

Sherri Duskey Rinker 2011 – This book is one of our favorites. It’s easy to centre bedtime books around cute and cuddly characters but that doesn’t always hold the interest of kids who prefer car and diggers to puppies and kittens. In this book, different construction equipment finishes up work for the day and goes to sleep. My husband picked this book out for Gordie and he loves how realistic the terminology and shutting down routines are. The escavator lowers it’s boom, the cement mixer is washed out at the end of the day. Gordie has asked for this book again and again. I highly recommend this book for vehicle loving preschoolers.

4. Russell The Sheep

Rob Scotton 2005 – This cutely illustrated book features a sheep named Russell that is having trouble falling asleep. I liked it, but didn’t love it. Gordie thought it was okay to read through a couple times and kind of liked the counting parts.

5.  How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?

Jane Yolen and Mark Teague 2000 – This is another bedtime book that does not feature the typical cuddly characters. The book goes through different bedtime stalling techniques that kids might use asking whether dinosaurs would do that and concludes that dinosaurs would go to sleep easily instead. It’s a silly book but will definitely interest kids that love dinosaurs and may even inspire better bedtime behavior in order to be more like the dinosaurs in the book (maybe?). Gordie liked this book, but I’m glad at this point that we got it out of the library because it didn’t have a lot of staying power for him – he asked for it a few times and then moved on.

Has your family read any of these books? What did you think? Or maybe you have a suggestion for a great preschool bedtime book that wasn’t on the list?

Our Favorite Tried and Tested Books Preschool Bedtime Books :

1. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site

 

Book List

Children’s Book Guide top 100 Children’s Books:
Llama, Llama Red Pajama, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, The Napping House, How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight, Russell The Sheep

Babble’s top 100 kids books:
Llama, Llama Red Pajama, Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site, The Napping House, How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight

Teachers First 100 Best Books:
The Napping House

Kern Country Library 100 Picture Books Every Child Should Know:
None!

New York Public Library 100 Picture Books Every Child Should Know:
The Napping House, How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight

Goodreads Best Children’s Books (top 300):
Llama, Llama, Red Pajama, The Napping House, How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight,

I love reading to my kids but when I’m looking for new books it can be hard to separate the great books that you and your kids will both love from the not so good books. To add to our list of books we love,, I’m combing through some lists of the best children’s books, picking out some books and trying them out. The books below all come highly recommended either by one of the lists at the bottom of the post or by my family.

This week we’re reading through 6 bedtime books – 5 recommended by at least one top 100 list and one that my son and I loved reading again and again at bedtime. Bedtime is a very popular topic for kids books so I’ve decided to do two posts, this one includes books great for toddlers the 2nd will include books great for preschoolers.

1. The Going-To-Bed Book

1982 Sandra Boynton – I was surprised to find that this book was written in 1982 – it certainly wasn’t part of my childhood. It was a bedtime staple for my son when he was a toddler though. A perfect mix of fun and a gentle introduction to sleep. I never got tired of reading it.

2. Goodnight Moon

Margaret Wise Wood 1947 – This book is undisputedly a classic and you will find it on almost every list of the best children’s books. My mom doesn’t like this book so I hadn’t read it until I was an adult. If you can get the right cadence (which is turns out my mom can’t) this book will gently rock your child right to sleep. We’ve read this book again and again at bedtime.

3. Counting Kisses: A Kiss & Read Book

Karen Katz 2001 – I’m going to be honest – I hate reading this book. I love the concept of kissing your baby to sleep, but Aside from the 10 little toes find the number arbitrary and awkward. I had bought this book when Gordie was little and ended up giving it away I disliked it so much. I got it out of the library so I could take another look at it for this post and it’s even worse reading it to a 3 year old! He giggles and wiggles and that might be fun if it wasn’t supposed to be a get ready for sleep book. Gordie on the other hand thought it was great, loved the counting and the tickly kisses. That makes one of us.

4. Time for Bed

Mem Fox 1993 – This is a cute little book with a great rhythm for bedtime. Each page has a different animal saying goodnight to their baby. I can definitely see why people like this book, and I’d be happy to have it in my collection, but I can’t say it really one of my favorites.

5. Good Night, Gorilla board book

Peggy Rathmann 1994 – This book uses few words and the pictures to tell the story of zoo animals who sneak out of the zoo and follow the zoo keeper home. I am not a fan of this book for little kids. Although the words are simple, too much needs to be explained for them to follow the story. I think it would be better for kids just learning to read.

6. Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball

Vicky Churchill 2001 – This book wasn’t on any of the lists I looked at, but it has definitely been one of our bed time favorites. It was perfect for my active boy, full of lots of action words to keep him interested but not too riled up. My mom would also like you to know that even though she cannot read Goodnight Moon properly, she did find me this book.

Our Favorite Tried and Tested Toddler Bedtime Books :

1. The Going-To-Bed Book
2. Goodnight Moon
3. Sometimes I Like to Curl Up in a Ball

I didn’t add any new books to our best books list this time around. But we did have fun trying some new books out.

 

Book Lists

Children’s Book Guide top 100 Children’s Books:
The Going to Bed Book, Good Night Moon, Counting Kisses, Time for Bed, Goodnight Gorilla,
Babble’s top 100 kids books:
The Going to Bed Book, Goodnight Moon
Teachers First 100 Best Books:
Goodnight Moon
Kern Country Library 100 Picture Books Every Child Should Know:
Goodnight Moon
New York Public LIbrary 100 Picture Books Every Child Should Know:
Goodnight Moon, Good Night Gorilla
Goodreads Best Children’s Books (top 300): Goodnight Moon, Goodnight Gorilla, The Going To Bed Book, Time for Bed,

 

1. “That’s Not My…” Series by Usbourne Books
   
   We have a ton of books from this series (That’s not my… Monster, Kitten, Truck, Robot, Tiger etc). When Gordie was super little they were great because the touchy-feely spots helped keep his interest in reading. As he got bigger they made great bedtime books because they were soothing and predictable. Now, he’s starting to be able to read them himself. I buy these as gifts a lot for baby showers.
2. Grumpy Bird
   
   I had never heard of this book before Gordie got it for his first birthday. It stars a bird so grumpy he can’t fly so he takes a walk meeting his friends along the way who oblivious to his bad mood join him on his walk eventually cheering him up. Gordie would bring it over to me to read it over and over and over again. Despite that, I never got tired of reading it to him. It was the first non-baby book that Gordie took an interest in. It’s a cute story with a nice rhythm. If you haven’t read it, I’d definitely recommend giving it a try.
3. Me Hungry!
   
   After loving Grumpy Bird so much, I looked for other books by Jeremy Tankard and found this one. It’s a lot shorter than grumpy bird, and even really little kids will be able to identify with wanting something while their parents are busy. Gordie would drag this book over (it’s bigger than most board books despite the limited words) to read again and again.
   
4. Green Eggs and Ham
   
   I’m sure everyone is familiar with this book. It’s one of the longest books that Gordie and I both enjoyed while he was a toddler. The repeating phrases and common words used make it a great choice to help make the transition from super short stories.
5. But Not the Hippopotamus
   
   This book features a hippopotamus who feels left out of all the fun. It is a short lively read with a great rhythm and cute rhymes.
6. Moo Baa La La La
   
   There aren’t many book that use animal sounds extensively that don’t make me wish I was reading something else pretty quickly. This book is the exception. This twist on animal sounds both engaged Gordie and kept me from throwing the book across the room. One of the great things about books with animal sounds is that your little one can ‘read’ with you from a very young age by filling in the right sound.
   
7. The Going To Bed Book
   
   A lot of books designed to lull kids to sleep are a little… dull. This book manages to be both fun and soothing in the end.
8. Are You My Mommy?
   
   Little duck can’t find his mommy and so goes off in search of her. This book was one of the first that Gordie helped pick out himself (he loved ducks). The little touchy-feely spots helped engage him when he was little and he still likes reading it sometimes now.
9. Sometimes I Like To Curl Up In a Ball
   
   This bedtime book was perfect for an energetic toddler. Little Wombat talks about all of his favorite things to do and ends with him going to sleep. For months this book was a necessary component of our bedtime routine.
10. Tinkerbell Look and Find
    
    I’ve always liked Tinkerbell, so Gordie had seen Tinkerbell here and there around our house. When he was a year and a half I put on the Tinkerbell movie. Up until this point he hadn’t paid any attention to TV at all. He was amazed to see “Tinkerbell! In a movie!” Tinkerbell was Gordie’s first love. He loved looking searching through these books to find the objects on the list. There is a whole series of these books which are great for toddlers with their thick pages and straight forward list of objects to find.
11. The Very Hungry Caterpillar

This book is kind of an honorable mention on this list. It has been one of Gordie’s favorites and he will still pull it out for us to read. But it is one of the few books that I actually hid for a while because I just couldn’t stand reading it one more time. It’s funny, because it isn’t that I don’t like the book, but I reached my limit with reading it over and over again quicker than many of Gordie’s favorite books.

So that’s our list, what’s on yours?