Here are 100 books that The Going to Bed Book fans have personally recommended if you like
The Going to Bed Book.
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I chose these books because they each approach big feelings with a kind of gentle honesty and expressive clarity. These classics use powerful, earnest text and heartfelt illustrations that help name, normalize, and, at times, create an adventure around feeling new, big emotions. Each of these treasured titles offers more than just a story—they give children tools for emotional resonance and resilience. They strike a delicate balance between lyrical prose, whimsical art, and emotional honesty. The Mood Swing is a charm bracelet of these different stories, woven into one. Many gave me comfort as a kid, and helped me feel supported and empowered to explore—and name—my deepest feelings.
A nighttime ritual in words and art, Goodnight Moon bathes readers in routine and gentle reassurance.
The lullaby-like text brings peace and a feeling of stability in a turbulent world.
This book shows how small, predictable patterns can calm strong feelings, helping children to explore big emotions inside a cozy, secure emotional bubble. It’s perfect for bedtime or whenever little hearts need grounding.
A beautiful anniversary edition of the classic bedtime story with shiny gold cover flourishes - the perfect gift for christenings and birthdays.
Featuring a look at the fascinating story behind the creation of one of the most famous children's books in the world, beloved by Michelle Obama and Neil Gaiman alike, as well as tips on how to get your child to sleep.
In a great green room a little bunny is tucked up snugly and safely in bed and is getting ready to say goodnight to all the familiar things in his room, one by one.
The Victorian mansion, Evenmere, is the mechanism that runs the universe.
The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.
Appointed the Steward of Evenmere, Carter Anderson must learn the…
I’ve spent my whole life working with children’s books. Firstly, as a listener–I was lucky enough to be read to frequently as a child. Then, as a reader. Later, I shared books as a teacher, editor, and publisher. But perhaps my favorite moments with books have been as a mother and now as an author. That’s a lot of books read, written, edited, shared, and loved! And for me, bedtime is the best time of day to share a book with a child. So, snuggle up and enjoy a favorite book with a favorite little person–they won’t be little for long!
It would be remiss of me not to include this absolute classic in my list. I’ve enjoyed the Winnie-the-Pooh stories ever since I was old enough to play with poohsticks, and now the words of A. A.
Milne inspires me in my work every day. Eeyore has always been my favorite, and the Tiddely Pom Hum was the very first piece of poetry that I learned by heart.
An award-winning production, with an all-star cast including Stephen Fry and Judi Dench, brings to life one of the best-loved children's books of all time.
Packed full of fun and adventure with Winnie-the-Pooh and all his friends in the Hundred Acre Forest. This is a wonderful dramatisation of Winnie-the-Pooh with original music. This captivating adaptation conveys all the magic and humour of AA Milne's classic stories.
The cast includes the following stars:
Pooh - Stephen Fry Piglet - Jane Horrocks Eeyore - Geoffrey Palmer Kanga (and Narrator) - Judi Dench Roo - Finty Williams Rabbit - Robert Daws Owl -…
I came into the world telling stories. From the age of four you could often find me surrounded by a little cluster of friends, amusing them with a story I was spinning on the spot. When I was nine, I began telling my sisters about a Martian who was living on Earth and who loved his comfy chairs. This Martian eventually became Alou, and it has been such a joy to share his world through my picture book Alou: The Martian Agent and its sequels. One thing I’m passionate about is sparking the potent imagination bottled up inside all our little ones and I hope my books can encourage that.
There is something so charming about these two best friends. I remember pouring over their quirky tales as a small child. I loved it so much! Arnold Lobel’s masterpiece is perfectly woven with immersive watercolor pictures and hilarious, yet simple text, that even our littlest readers can grasp. It introduces the concept of personality vividly in the differences between Frog and Toad, and all in all, is one of the best ever for capturing a young imagination.
An Essential Picture Book Classics this book contains five engaging, warm and very funny stories about Frog and Toad.
A collectable classic picture book that every child should read and own. Julia Donaldson says "I hugely admire and envy Arnold Lobel; he is my hero".
Once upon a time there were two good friends, a frog and a toad...
From writing letters to going swimming, telling stories to finding lost buttons, Frog and Toad are always there for each other - just as best friends should be.
The Frog and Toad stories from Arnold Lobel have been loved by generations.…
The Guardian of the Palace is the first novel in a modern fantasy series set in a New York City where magic is real—but hidden, suppressed, and dangerous when exposed.
When an ancient magic begins to leak into the world, a small group of unlikely allies is forced to act…
I write and illustrate picture books. Before I was a father I just thought of the picture book as my chosen art form. When I became a dad, I saw first-hand how important picture books are in the lives of young children and the people who read to them. They become family friends. For the youngest kids, bedtime and nap-time are rituals performed many times a day, which means those books get read over and over. In doing so, I found some favorites that I still enjoy reading today, even if I am reading to myself!
A good goodnight book slows things down, quiets down the room and the people in it. This book does just that. When nap-time and bedtime were frequent and important in our home we really loved this book. You go for a walk and when you are back home you are ready for bed. Decrescendo.
Acclaimed author-illustrator Elisha Cooper paints the quiet magic of a good-night walk as the neighborhood settles into itself at the end of the day.
As a child and parent walk down the block to the bay and turn to walk back home, evening falls upon the neighborhood. As the walk begins, the squirrels are in the yards, the boys are mowing lawns, a neighbor is baking a pie, and someone is mailing a letter. When the child and parent turn to walk back home, the apple pie is down from the windowsill, the leaves are raked up, and the postman…
My first memories are of sitting in the garden munching strawberries off the vine as my grandfather picked vegetables. Dad’s days off meant a trip to the nature reserve or sledding the town slopes. Vacations were for jumping in waves and exploring tidepools. Mom collected antique children’s books and instilled a passion for reading. When not exploring the woods across the railroad tracks with friends, I was reading. Childhood and my passion for nature intersect in my writing in two of my other books, A Beach Tail and Circles of Hope. Nowadays, my routine includes writing in my woodland cabin and daily hikes with my flat-coated retriever, Lowani.
I love snow! I love this book. The simple collage illustrations support a simple childhood experience that captures my childhood winter as much as it does the delight my grandchildren take in snow. I love that this is nature experienced in a city setting. It was a quiet day for making footprints in the snow, feet pointing out, and feet pointing in. The crunch, crunch, crunch, a stick just right for smacking snow-covered trees.
I want to climb into this book and be that child. And oh, the memories of a snow day, not a holiday but a day filled with magic like no other, a day to fully explore and enjoy the season, the natural world. The excitement I feel even now when snow falls at night, promising another snow day.
The magic and wonder of winter's first snowfall is perfectly captured in Ezra Jack Keat's Caldecott Medal-winning picture book. This celebrated classic has been shared by generations of readers and listeners, a must-have for every child's bookshelf and a perfect gift for the holiday season.
New York Public Library's #1 book on the list of "Top Check Outs of All Time"
In 1962, a little boy named Peter put on his snowsuit and stepped out of his house and into the hearts of millions of readers. Universal in its appeal, this story beautifully depicts a child's wonder at a new…
With three kids, bedtime at my house is usually nuts. When we strike gold with a great bedtime read that’s funny or cozy, or better yet, BOTH, it becomes part of our permanent rotation. I love finding books that make my kids excited about story time (and just maybe encourage them to get through their bedtime routines a little faster). As a children’s picture book author, my own books are inspired by my kids’ everyday lives, and sleep, or lack thereof, is a topic that I always find so very relatable!
To me, this book has a great combination of sleepy and silly elements. The illustrations are warm and cozy, and throughout the book, Bear snores happily in the background.
My kids and I love that while Bear sleeps, a party starts forming in his cave. We love seeing the party grow until Bear wakes up to discover what’s going on.
It seems like Bear can sleep through anything. As a succession of animals enter his cave to escape the fierce storm, he continues to snore. Mouse makes a nice warm fire, Hare cooks popcorn and Badger brings treats... They are having a great time. But when Bear wakes up and realises he's missed out on the fun, his visitors fear the worst.Can Bear be persuaded to join the party? This read-aloud rhyming story has fun, suspense and a happy ending - with Jane Chapman's beautiful, captivating illustrations and Karma Wilson's absorbing, lyrical words perfectly depicting the companionship of the warm,…
Aury and Scott travel to the Finger Lakes in New York’s wine country to get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings at the Songscape Winery. Disturbed furniture and curious noises are one thing, but when a customer winds up dead, it’s time to dig into the details and see…
With three kids, bedtime at my house is usually nuts. When we strike gold with a great bedtime read that’s funny or cozy, or better yet, BOTH, it becomes part of our permanent rotation. I love finding books that make my kids excited about story time (and just maybe encourage them to get through their bedtime routines a little faster). As a children’s picture book author, my own books are inspired by my kids’ everyday lives, and sleep, or lack thereof, is a topic that I always find so very relatable!
I love this book because it’s not your typical sleepy-time bedtime story. It’s silly and loud, with mentions of monster trucks and guitar solos. It might not have my kids yawning, but it will have them excited to read before bed.
If I’m ever struggling to get my kids to bed (so, most nights), reading a fun book like this always helps to get them zipping through their bedtime routines a little faster.
Attention, readers-this book is going to help you fall right asleep! No, seriously. It's going to make you so tired. Monsters crash through the pages! Electric guitars jam out all night! Counting sheep that are being chased by DRAGONS! Are you asleep yet? No? Hmm . . . let's try something else . . .
This hilarious story from #1 New York Times-bestselling author Jory John and acclaimed illustrator Olivier Tallec will show energetic little ones so many different methods of falling asleep that they just might get tired after all!
With three kids, bedtime at my house is usually nuts. When we strike gold with a great bedtime read that’s funny or cozy, or better yet, BOTH, it becomes part of our permanent rotation. I love finding books that make my kids excited about story time (and just maybe encourage them to get through their bedtime routines a little faster). As a children’s picture book author, my own books are inspired by my kids’ everyday lives, and sleep, or lack thereof, is a topic that I always find so very relatable!
This is another funny pick that gets my kids giggling.
The main character is a butterfly with an endless amount of questions and plenty of excuses about why they can’t sleep (hmm…reminds me VERY MUCH of some children I know…). Butterfly’s friend Porcupine has good suggestions for Butterfly (and anyone else who needs to get to sleep already!) to try.
“Everyone’s favorite frantic insect is back . . . this time trying to sleep.” — Kirkus Reviews This laugh-out-loud companion to The Very Impatient Caterpillar and The Little Butterfly That Could is perfect for bedtime—or any time! A delightful complement to the classic, Goodnight, Moon!
"Who needs to sleep at night, anyway? There’s so much I’d miss! I’ll just be nocturnal too. What do you think?" "I think we need to get you back to sleep." Readers will laugh themselves silly as they learn to find their inner calm and settle for sleep—even when they wake in the night—as they…
With three kids, bedtime at my house is usually nuts. When we strike gold with a great bedtime read that’s funny or cozy, or better yet, BOTH, it becomes part of our permanent rotation. I love finding books that make my kids excited about story time (and just maybe encourage them to get through their bedtime routines a little faster). As a children’s picture book author, my own books are inspired by my kids’ everyday lives, and sleep, or lack thereof, is a topic that I always find so very relatable!
My kids and I both love this book, which is a huge plus when reading at bedtime!
The story follows a procession of characters in their PJs on a whimsical nighttime stroll. It could be read as a chant or a song, and we all find ourselves pleasantly humming the rhythm long after we’ve finished storytime.
Join a cast of friends, human and animal alike, as they embark on a musical read-aloud adventure in this upbeat, joyful picture book.
A boy sets off with his flute and his stuffed bear and a rum-pum-pum. As they make their way through the town and the woods, they ask, “Wanna come?” Soon, kids and creatures join in the fun one by one, playing instruments, singing, and dancing to the catchy tune.
But will a storm bring their fun-filled musical parade to an end?
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
I’ve spent my whole life working with children’s books. Firstly, as a listener–I was lucky enough to be read to frequently as a child. Then, as a reader. Later, I shared books as a teacher, editor, and publisher. But perhaps my favorite moments with books have been as a mother and now as an author. That’s a lot of books read, written, edited, shared, and loved! And for me, bedtime is the best time of day to share a book with a child. So, snuggle up and enjoy a favorite book with a favorite little person–they won’t be little for long!
This colorful, interactive board book is great for encouraging toddlers to get ready for bed. I love the ‘Uh-oh’ refrain that everyone can join in with and the clever flaps and sliders that show little bear Niko getting everything a little bit wrong. It’s the first in a new series from Chris Chatterton and one that I love to read with the little people in my life.
