When we snuggle in on the couch before bed to read a couple of books, I need a stack of options ready that will actually calm those sillies down.
My kids love silly books. Anything that will make them laugh is a winner in our house. (These are some of our favorites.) But those aren’t ideal for bedtime.
At bedtime, I want a stack of books that will calm them down, quiet our house, make them cozy into me and sigh with droopy eyes….it’s possible I’m expecting too much from a book. BUT these will get you close.
These picture books are calming stories that will put you on track for a good bedtime and great sleep.
affiliate links are below.
14 Children’s Books for Bedtime
1. The Napping House
by Audrey and Don Wood
There was a little toddler when I was student teaching who loved this book and I would read it to her every day on the couch in our classroom. There were several times on the third pass that I found myself nodding off. The repetitive text and muted colors entice nap time. This husband and wife pair have a long list of amazing titles, but this is their best for before bed. Find Online.
2. Time for Bed
by Mem Fox
I once read a story that Mem Fox wrote this one on an airplane flight. Impressive considering how delightful it is. Watch as one by one little animals cozy up to their mamas and go to sleep. This book was an absolute favorite when our twins were little. Find Online.
3. Shhh! this Book is Sleeping
by Cedric Ramadier and Vincent Bourgeau
I love it when we discover a book with a unique idea. This one is interactive, but it in the sweetest, calmest way possible. Your book is getting sleepy so you have to ask it questions, give it a little hug and kiss, and tuck it in for bed. A completely adorable goodnight story that my kids love. Find Online.
4. No Go Sleep!
by Kate Feiffer
illustrated by Jules Feiffer
To me this reads a bit like the classic Goodnight Moon – only in that it’s a series of things saying goodnight to the baby. One by one everything from the animals outside to the front door tells the baby a comforting message. Even though the baby doesn’t think he’s ready, it is clearly time for bed. Find Online
5. Lullaby Moon
by Rosie Reeve
Even the illustrations are soft and cozy in this book. This is another one that we read almost every single day when my kids were little. We had a few books that were part of our goodnight routine for their first couple of years and this soothing, rhyming gentle story was one of them. Find Online
6. Sleep Train
Written by Jonathon London
Illustrated by Lauren Eldridge
Rhyming text, a little train counting, and a soft soothing bedtime story about a train. The text is brief, the illustrations are lovely. My favorite part is how the sun sets beautifully over the course of the book. This is a book that train fans all over will love falling asleep too every night. Find Online
7. Don’t Blink
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
illustrated by David Roberts
Think Grover’s THERE’S A MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK but an owl and if you can avoid blinking then you can avoid ending the story. Not sure that’s super clear, but this one is fun and yet does actually settle down at the end. And gosh the little sleepy owl is the cutest thing ever. Find Online
8. Bedtime in the Jungle
by John Butler
This is a gentle jungle animal bedtime story. Dusk is falling in the jungle and the animals and little babies from one to ten are getting ready for bed. It’s rhythmic repetition and quiet photos will send little ones off to dreamland. Find Online
9. Arlo The Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep
by Catherine Rayner
This is the perfect bedtime story. It is breathtakingly beautiful, the words are patient and calm, and the refrain is a wonderful mindful meditation anyone struggling to sleep can use. It is the story of a lion who is having trouble sleeping. He meets an owl who, being an expert at sleeping when everyone else is noisy and the sun is beaming, teaching him her secret. Catherine Rayner has long been one of my favorite children’s book author/illustrators. Her books are consistently stunning, graceful, and full of heart. They leave the reader with a contentment whether they immersed in her gentle humor or with books like this one, her bedtime calm. ARLO THE LION is a delight and a wonderful addition to her catalog of books. Find Online
You May Also Like: Catherine Rayner Author Study
10. The Bedtime Book
by S. Marendaz
illustrated by Carly Gledhill
A sweet bedtime story about a missing favorite book and two friends. The muted palette of the illustrations feels unique but also perfect for a bedtime story. The use of repetition both in the structure of the story and with the words themselves is also delightfully soothing. A wonderfully calming book with just a little bit of adventure. Perfect for reading before bed. Find Online
11. Tomorrow I’ll Be Kind
by Jessica Hische
A darling, soothing book about trying our best to be kind. It ends with a quiet tuck into bed. Find Online
12. Rocking Bed of Dreams
by Cari Meister
illustrated by Diana Toledano
When I’m choosing bedtime stories for little ones, I look for calming books. Ones that have a gentle rhythm. Often ones that mention bedtime or end with a cozy tuck in bed. One with messages that feel like a warm hug. This beautiful board book has all of those things. The illustrations are warm, vibrant and stunning. The text is rhyming and soothing. The book ends with a baby being rocked to sleep by their mama. Newborn bedtime story perfection. Order Online
13. Yawn
by Patricia Hegarty
illustrated by Teresa Bellon
I don’t think I have ever yawned so much. Playing on the idea that yawns are contagious, this rhyming book is all about yawns being passed around. From everyone in your neighborhood to the animals around the world to even the clouds in the sky – yawns are everywhere. A cute bedtime story that ends with the little boy tucked in bed.
14. So How Will You Sleep?
by Annabel Gardiner
illustrated by Samantha Thorley
A goodnight book for animal lovers. The text has a repetitive rhyming structure that will appeal to little ones. Each page has a different animal and their unique sleep strategy or situation. I think page turns could have been used better to transition from one animal to the next, but the concept of contemplating each way animals sleep is a fun one. The illustrations add a warm, cozy feel. It all ends with a baby cozy in their own crib.
