Remember that great treasury of picture book classics that I mentioned here? Well, it has brought another enchanting gem into our family library.


Goodnight Moon written by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Clement Hurd

Although I was more familiar with this text than with Harold and the Purple Crayon, I’m almost ashamed to admit that it wasn’t part of our collection of picture books until recently. In one word, Goodnight Moon is lovely. Lovely text whose rhythm is practically a lullaby, lovely illustrations that merge homey comfort with striking detail, and lovely feelings of peaceful nights when you read it to a child in your lap.

Can you tell this book has won me over? It has.

If you haven’t read Goodnight Moon before, or if it’s been a while, the book travels around a sweet bunny’s room as bedtime approaches saying “goodnight” to various objects in and beyond the room. The clocks, the bowl of mush, the painting of the cow jumping over the moon and, of course, the moon itself, are all bid goodnight. You even say goodnight to the air, to the noises all around, and to nobody at all. It’s almost a ritual, this saying goodnight to the world, and the book is a perfect bedtime read (although we read it at all times of the day in our house).

We’ve done a couple different activities this week using Goodnight Moon as our inspiration. However, my very favorite, and perhaps the simplest, was letting Pearl author her own version of the story. We sat in her room with a pencil and a sheet of paper and I gave her the first line. She really took it from there, saying goodnight to all sorts of things in her room. Although I added in a couple of items just to keep her going, I didn’t edit her input. This was her story, after all.

When we were finished, I typed it up and we read it as part of her bedtime routine that night. I have to say, it was a sweet thing for me, reading her words and having such a personal text added to those moments before sleep. One of those moments where you’re sitting there thinking, “Am I almost in tears? Why am I almost in tears?”

Here’s Pearl’s version of Goodnight Moon, with only a few helps along the way from me:

Goodnight, Pearl’s Room

There was a room, Pearl’s room,

and in it there was a bed with a blue blanket.

Goodnight, pony.

Goodnight, puzzles and little red car.

Goodnight, whole world,

and goodnight, Mom and Dad.

Goodnight, people and little red barn.

Goodnight, toys and good night, lion.

Goodnight, light and all those things.

Goodnight frogs and good night animals.

It is time for Pearl to go to sleep.


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