7 Great Books to Read to Your Child before Tucking Them in at Night ...

Barbara Helen Berger wrote Grandfather Twilight, which is one of the sweetest bedtime stories I have ever heard. Grandfather Twilight lives in the forest and has the important job of putting the moon in the sky. Each night, he takes a pearl from an endless strand of pearls and carries it to the sea where he puts the pearl in the sky, and it becomes the moon. While the story is wonderful, the illustrations in this book are magical. In fact, they are one of my favorite things about this book, and children like finding the cat and dog on each page as they follow Grandfather Twilight through the forest. As far as bedtime stories go, this is probably one of the best books to read to your child before tucking them in at night.

Price: $6.29 at amazon.com

I am not sure why, but all children seem to love farm animals. The Big Red Barn is a sweet story written by Maragret Wise Brown and illustrated by Felicia Bond. It is about the farm animals playing while the children are away. The story is in the form of a rhyme, and has all different kinds of animals. There are kittens, puppies, mice, horses, and pigs. There is even a hen who has laid eggs that little kids get to count. At the end of the story all the animals settle down for the night and go to sleep, except for the mice who play in the hay.

Price: $7.19 at amazon.com

The Runaway Bunny is another story that is written by Margaret Wise Brown with Clement Hurd as the illustrator. This story was first published in 1942 and has never gone out of print due to its popularity. In the book, a little bunny decides to run away from his mother, but his mother says she will always find him. Each place he goes, there is an illustration in which he is hidden and has to be found. This interactive part of the story makes it especially fun for young children. At the end of the story, the mother bunny and her baby are safe at home, cozy and warm. If you have not already read this story to your child, you should certainly get a copy so you can share this popular story.

Price: $6.29 at amazon.com

Vera B. Williams is the author and illustrator of A Chair for My Mother. Her wonderful story was a Caldecott Honor Book and has a wonderful lesson about family values. The story is narrated by a young girl named Rosa, whose family lost their house to a fire. After they move into an apartment, Rosa, her mother, and her grandmother all really want a comfortable chair. They save their money until they have enough to buy the most comfortable chair they can find. Although it is a fairly simple premise, the story is written very well and teaches the importance of family and hard work.

Price: $6.29 at amazon.com

Jane Yolen’s Owl Moon was awarded the Caldecott Award in 1988, and when you read it you will see why. In the book, a father takes his daughter to look for the Great Horned Owl in the forest on a cold winter evening. The young girl narrates the story, and her excitement is evident as they come closer and closer to seeing the owl. Her adventure is brought to life by John Schoenherr’s beautiful illustrations of the winter adventure. I loved this story when I was little, and I think young children today will still enjoy this wonderful story.

Price: $13.56 at amazon.com

The Little Rabbit is one of several books about baby animals written by Judy Dunn. The story is about a young girl and the rabbit she is given for Easter. It is a simple story about the girl taking care of the rabbit, who hops off and has its own adventure one day. While the story is cute, one of the best things about this book is the photographs of the rabbit and her adventure. Instead of illustrations, the book has adorable photos that were taken by Phoebe Dunn. In all honesty, the photos are the best part and are not to be missed.

Price: $3.08 at amazon.com

The Napping House is a very fun book that is loved by all children. It was written by Audrey Wood, and the stunning illustrations were done by Don Wood. In this story, everyone is napping on a rainy day. Slowly, the sleepy grandson and all the sleepy animals pile on top of the sleeping granny. Eventually, the pile of napping people and animals becomes too heavy for the bed, which collapses just as the sun is coming out. This book is extremely popular and has won several awards including Golden Kite Award and the New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

Price: $6.26 at amazon.com

Since every child enjoys being read to at night, having some of these great children’s books in your collection is a worthwhile investment. They are books you will read to your children over and over again creating many fond memories. Personally, I have wonderful memories of story time. What are your favorite children’s books?