Dream Animals – A Bedtime Journey

By Emily Winfield Martin

Year: 2013

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books, New York

Age: 5 - 9

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Bedtime, Picture Book

ISBN:  978 0 44981 080 4

This enchanting bedtime book about children’s journeys to Dreamland employs lyrical text to weave a web of dreams and twilight magic.

The illustrations are a combination of pencil sketches and elaborate finely detailed paintings that seem to be infused with life.  

Simply beautiful! :-)

Excerpt

There are animals from long ago

And twice as far away.

Their maps are made of starlight

And can’t be seen by day.

One Sleepy Night

By Sebastien Braun 

Year: 2013

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 – 4 years

No. of Pages: 20

Book Type: Bedtime, Board Book

ISBN:  978 1 84895 512 7

This charming bedtime board book is beautiful. And, of course, the central character is a baby bear on his way to bed. They stop by one sleepy owl, two badgers and three fireflies before finally calling it a night.

The rhyming text is memorable too!

Excerpt

Three sleepy fireflies litter and peep.

Softly, the wind whispers, “Hush! Time for sleep!”

One little bear has a wash before bed. 

Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime

Text: David Bedford

Illustrations: Russell Julian

Year: 2011

Publisher: Egmont UK, London

Age: 2 – 5 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book, Bedtime

ISBN:  978 1 40525 741 1

This is a truly fanciful bedtime tale that ought to have children asking for more. There are plenty of “noisy” words to engage little ones too. The kids loved chirruping, tweeting, roaring and trumpeting various animal sounds. :-)

The illustrations are enchanting as they transition from a gentle golden sunset to mild, soothing shades of blue and purple to complete the bedtime effect. 

Truly creative. :-)

Excerpt

Look who’s first!

Waddlers!

Sliding and gliding to the big, bouncy bed in the sky.

Those early birds don’t want to be late!

Slip, slap, flippety-flap!

The Dark, Dark Night

Text: M. Christina Butler

Illustrations: Jane Chapman

Year: 2008

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 4 - 8 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84506 637 6

This book is an endearing comedy of errors which features five good friends – Badger, Rabbit, Hedgehog, Dormouse and Frog.

Frog has just woken up from a long winter sleep and in his excitement, he sets off a series of mishaps caused by ‘shadow monsters!’

This ought to be a good book for little ones who are afraid of the dark.

Excerpt

Frog was very excited. All winter he had been asleep under a stone, and now it was spring, he was on his way back to the pond.

Where the fairies fly

By Jane Simmons

Year: 2001

Publisher: Orchard Books, London

Age: 3 - 7 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book, Bedtime

ISBN:  978 1 84121 108 7

Little Jamie can’t sleep. His sister Lucy, an avid storyteller, takes him on a magical adventure in search of the Dreamtime Fairies.

After several stops on the way, they finally find the fairies who work their magic until the children and their toys are fast asleep.

This sweet bedtime story serves to allay the common fears that children have about the dark and its shadows.

Excerpt

Lucy loved to tell stories.

She told deep blue sea stories to Mum... flying up high in the sky stories to Dad, and magic stories to her little brother Jamie.

Angels Watching Over Me

Adapted by Julia Durango

Illustrations: Elisa Kleven 

Year: 2007

Publisher: Simon and Schuster, New York

Age: 4 – 8 years

No. of Pages: 32 

Book Type: Picture Book, Poetry

ISBN:  978 0 68986 252 6

This book finds inspiration from the well-loved spiritual Angels Watching Over Me. The text is essentially the song expanded with additional verses to weave a soothing blanket of comfort and reassurance for little ones.

It is a beautiful song. :-)

Excerpt

All night, all day angels watching over me.

Day begins, dawn breaks anew.

Sun wakes up, I wake up too.

Dinosaur Sleepover

Text: Pamela Duncan Edwards

Illustrations: Deborah Allwright

Year: 2010

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books, London

Age: 3 - 7 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type: Picture Book, Bedtime

ISBN:  978 0 23074 052 5

This beautiful bedtime story blends thoughtfully laid out text with warm, witty illustrations to create a memorable book.

The story traces the concerns of a little boy just before his first-ever sleepover. Never mind, that he ends up pretending that it’s his dinosaur who’s worried about staying away for a night. :-)

This ought to be a classic. We loved everything about this book.

Excerpt

What would you do if it was your cousin’s birthday and he invited you and Dinosaur to a sleepover party?

What if dinosaur looked puzzled?

Noodle’s Knitting

Text: Sheryl Webster

Illustrations: Caroline Pedler

Year: 2010

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 3 – 7 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture Book

ISBN:  978 1 84895 093 1

This heartwarming story of friendship, love and sacrifice makes for a great reading experience.

Noodle, an industrious little mouse, longs to knit. She manages to lay her hands on a lovely ball of wool.

She knits, all day long and soon she has a scarf ready for herself and her friends to tuck into during the long, cold winter.

The illustrations are exceptionally adorable. Our baby loved this book because of the soft-to-touch velvety texture on every page.

Excerpt

Pitter patter went her paws, clickety click went her needles. On and on she danced, singing merrily,

“One plain, one purl, one twisk, one twirl!”

She was enjoying herself so much she didn't even notice her knitting catch on a prickle …

It was a Cold, Dark Night

By Tim Hopgood

Year: 2010

Publisher: Collins Big Cat, London

Age:  4 - 6 years       

No. of Pages: 16

ISBN:  978 0 00732 922 9

Book Type: Picture book, Nature

This guided reading book from Collins Big Cat is a short, warm story of Ned, a hedgehog, who is in need of a home to snooze in during winter.

The leaves are falling fast, the wind is blowing colder and most homes have been taken. Ned finds the perfect place, finally, with some help from the bats.

Excerpt

It was a cold, dark night and the wind was blowing.

The hedgehog looked up at the old barn.

The bats said, “This is our home. But look down, Ned!”

The Sleepy Way Home to Bed

Text: Claire Freedman

Illustrations: Veronica Vasylenko

Year: 2012

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 – 6 years

No. of Pages: 24

Book Type: Picture book, bedtime

ISBN:  978 1 84895 278 2

Now, here’s a bedtime book that most parents of little ones will identify with – the reluctance of a child to sleep.

The sun’s about to set in a brilliantly portrayed golden glow but Little Hare is as energetic ever. So Mummy Hare decides to take the ‘sleepy way back home’ – a winding path where they get to meet all their special friends who in their own sweet way try to get Little Hare sleepy.

This is a warm tale of friendly neighborliness and childhood innocence and the paintings are simply glorious.

A keeper, I must say!

Excerpt

“Oh, I see!”  smiled Mouse with a twinkle in his eye. “I know that special path. Follow me, Little Hare!”

Giggling, Little Hare went scurrying and hurrying after Mouse.

When the World is Ready for Bed

Text: Gillian Shields

Illustrations: Anna Currey

Year: 2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing, London

Age: 3 – 7 years

No. of Pages: 32

Book Type:  Picture Book, Bedtime

ISBN:  978 1 40880 564 0

This is an enchanting bedtime book with charming lyrical text that evokes the beauty of dusk and night time.  

The innocence of the bedtime ritual is vividly captured in watercolors as three little ones prepare to sleep.

A big thumbs up! :-)

Excerpt

Let’s talk about

The things you’ve done –

All the laughter,

All the fun.

Don’t Wake the Bear, Hare!

Text: Steve Smallman

Illustrator: Caroline Pedler

Year: 2010

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 3 and above

No. of Pages: 28

ISBN: 978 1 84895 032 0

Here’s another adorable grumpy bear story. :-) (One of my favorites - Gruff the Grump.)

All the little animals of the forest are getting ready for Spring Party Day. They include badger, fox, hare, mice and the ants too!

They tiptoe around and organize the party very quietly so as to not disturb the hibernating bear. If he does wake up, he’s going to be very hungry and grumpy.

Best of all, this story is told in catchy, rhyming verse with illustrations that are witty and colorful. And, oh yes, there are plenty of opportunities for your little ones to engage in sounds – grr… humph… zzzzz…:-)

Excerpt

The lanterns were carefully hung in the trees.

The mice tied up ribbons that danced on the breeze.

They brought in the very last blueberry tart

And their party was now almost ready to start!

Can’t you sleep, Dotty?

By Tim Warnes

Year: 2001

Publisher: Little Tiger Press, London

Age: 2 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978-1-85430-757-6

This is a bedtime story of a little puppy named Dotty. She can’t get to sleep because she’s in a new home. So she embarks on a little howling mission. Soon, the other animals in the house arrive to investigate and with their own well-intended pieces of advice.

Dotty faithfully follows their advice but she still can’t sleep. Then, Tommy the tortoise comes up with a great idea. Soon, the friends are fast asleep.

It is a sweet story with tender illustrations to match. And then, it’s a bedtime story too!

Excerpt

Tommy the tortoise poked his head from out of his shell.

“Can’t you sleep, Dotty?” he sighed. “I like to sleep where it’s bright and sunny.”

Dotty liked the idea and turned on her torch!

“Turn it off, Dotty!” shouted all her friends. “We can’t get to sleep now!”

Poor Dotty was too tired to try anything else. 

When Mama Can’t Sleep

Author: Christa Kempter

Illustrator: Natascha Rosenberg

Year: 2011

Publisher: North-South Books Inc., New York

Age: 5 and above

No. of Pages: 20

ISBN: 978-0-73584-015-7

This is a little bedtime book about a household that is woken up one by one because 'mama can't sleep'. Finally, they crawl into bed, all together, dog and teddy included and sleep blissfully.

I did find the mention of a ghost quite odd. Shown as a smiley-face, nevertheless, it seemed more than a little out-of-place, even though I grew up reading Casper comics.

Excerpt

Then Sam can’t sleep because the beds are creaking and feet are padding around, so he gets up.

Now everyone is up.

What are they going to do? 

Bedtime, Billy Bear!

Author: Miriam Moss

Illustrator: Anna Currey

Year: 2007

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books, London

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN:  978 0 23001 464 0

This charming bedtime tale encompasses most concerns of a child – going to bed without mama, having a sitter, fear of the dark, imagining noises. And, it's all packed elegantly into a heart-warming story centered around a family of bears.

Billy Bear’s mom is going out for her pottery class and he can’t quite get himself to sleep.

It’s adorable and so typical of a little one when they transfer their fears on to their favorite toy, in this story, Rabbit. 

Lucy, his sitter, kindly explains that his mom will be back, like always.

The illustrations and the story do reach out to you.

Excerpt

Mum read Billy a story and then kissed him goodnight.

“You’ve forgotten to sing our song,” said Billy.

“I’ve got to go to pottery now,” said Mum. “But here’s Lucy. She’s going to sing with you tonight.”

Mum tucked Billy in.

“Goodnight, Billy. Sleep tight!” she said. 

Snug Bug – Puffin Young Readers – Level 2

Author: Cathy East Dubowski and Mark Dubowski

Year: 1995

Publisher: Puffin Young Readers, USA

Age: 4 and above

No. of Pages: 32

ISBN: 978-0-448-45817-5

This book is quite a clever little reading book for young readers from the Puffin Young Readers series. 

It’s about Snug Bug and his bedtime. It’s a tiny bug who lives in a little boy’s room. So, his tub is a tiny indentation in a bar of soap and his bed is the box of tissues by the boy’s bedside. The clever illustrations add so much more meaning to the story.

Excerpt

Mama Bug knows.

She tugs at the rug.

“There you are, my little snug bug!”

Into the tub.

Scrub, scrub, scrub.

“Whee! Look at me!”

Mama Bug say, “Your bath is done.”

Other titles in this series

• Level - 1: A new friend
• Level - 1: At the beach 
• Level - 1: Ice Cream Soup
• Level - 1: Max has a Fish
• Level - 1: Nicky Upstairs and Down 
• Level - 1: Play with Blue
• Level - 1: Tiny goes camping 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Birthday Dog 
• Level - 1: Tiny the Snow Dog 

• Level - 2: Cowboy Roy
• Level - 2: Red, White and Blue
• Level - 2: Shape Spotters
• Level - 2: The Garden that we grew  
• Level - 2: The very lonely firefly
• Level - 2: Who stole the cookies?

• Level - 3: Agapanthus Hum and the Eyeglasses
• Level - 3: Amanda Pig on her own
• Level - 3: Why do birds sing?