TIME FOR BED

Originally published in France, this basic board book with sturdy tabs details those moments at the end of the day.

Each double-page spread offers a muted dark background with an inset picture showing an animal parent and child, with the little one already tucked in. “Time for bed, my little crocodile!” “No, no, Daddy. Hold me, please!” Spread by spread, the text details the many excuses before bedtime. The little kangaroo wants Mommy to stay, the little bear can’t find her bunny, the little cat wants to keep playing. To each plea, the animals’ parents (alternating mother and father) lovingly reassure their offspring with patience and compassion. “Okay, just one last hug. But don’t get out of bed”; “Don’t worry, little monkey. I’ll leave the door open”; “Go to sleep and you will have lots of energy to play tomorrow.” The colorful retro-styled illustrations show each child already in bed with toys and books around the room and parent waiting; pull the sliding tab, and the child is magically fast asleep. The last double-page spread has a pale yellow background and shows all the parent-child pairs the next morning, hugging each other. Each family is made up of the same animals.

Although it’s been done before, this simple book models an ideal bedtime routine for both children and caregivers.