Again!
At bedtime, Cedric the dragon wants his mother to read his favorite book again, and again, and again.
Here to Help: Books about Bedtime
By sharing stories together and having conversations about the books you read, you can help young children understand the world around them. Seeing diverse experiences represented in books helps children to explore their own identities and develop empathy for others.
A story before bed is always important but sometimes it is hard for children to settle into going to sleep at night. These picture books may help children feel ready to go to bed or face nighttime fears.
Not every book is available at all locations, but any title can be requested. The children’s librarian at your neighborhood library is also here to help, with suggestions for additional titles on topics of interest–or feel free to suggest some titles to us. New books are always being added to the collection. You can find more Here to Help booklists on different topics by clicking here.
Chengdu Could Not, Would Not, Fall Asleep
High in the trees in the middle of the night, all of the pandas are sleeping except for Chengdu, who tries everything and still cannot fall asleep until he finds the perfect spot–atop his brother, Yuan. Includes 2 fold-out pages, a half-page and a quarter-page.
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!
A pigeon comes up with many reasons why he should not go to bed.
Goodnight, Little Monster
Rhyming text describes a mother guiding her young monster through bedtime preparations, such as howling at the moon, snacking on worm juice and beetle bread, and choosing a bedtime story.
Goodnight, Owl
Simple text invites the reader to look under lift-up flaps to find various creatures as they go to sleep at night in the forest.
Lullaby (For a Black Mother): A Poem
The poem by African American author of the Harlem Renaissance about a mother’s love for her child is paired with color illustrations. It’s sweet, lulling rhythm celebrates a bedtime ritual and the bond between a mother and child.
Monster Trouble
Although Winifred thinks the monsters who creep into her bedroom each night are cute, she cannot get any sleep and tries to scare them away.
Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues
Pete the Cat wants to go to sleep, but his animal friends want to stay up and play.
Sleep Like a Tiger
At bedtime a young girl asks “Does everything in the world go to sleep?”
The Squeaky Door
When Little Boy is frightened by a squeaky bedroom door, his grandmother brings in various animals to help him feel secure enough to sleep. Includes notes on the story’s origins.
Stalling
An energetic young boy has many things to do before he is ready to go to bed.
Tuck Me In
The reader helps tuck in baby animals at bedtime using pages with flaps to serve as blankets.
Twenty Yawns
As her mom reads a bedtime story, Lucy drifts off. But later, she awakens in a dark, still room, and everything looks mysterious. How will she ever get back to sleep?