Goodnight Moon
In a great green room, tucked away in bed, is a little bunny. "Goodnight room, goodnight moon." And to all the familiar things in the softly lit room -- to the picture of the three little bears sitting on chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one -- the little bunny says goodnight.In this classic of children's literature, beloved by generations of readers and listeners, the quiet poetry of the words and the gentle, lulling illustrations combine to make a perfect book for the end of the day.
Stats for nerds
13recommend
40mentions
35people
2009–2026years
33% recommend60% neutral8% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- The Velveteen Rabbit
The Owl and the Pussycat
Goodnight Moon
- Man I'm sad you weren't happy with your books. I'll say it doesn't match my experience.
Of course, your child is supposed to get books for FIVE YEARS and their point-of-development is also relevant... meaning yeah some are kinda rudimentary... obviously.
Some of my favorite books to read aloud to my child were from there.
Classics are in there...
But some surprise wins:- *Goodnight Moon*, where on your 10th reading you're still noticing little artistic differences from page to page - *Little Engine That Could*, everyone knows this classic and I think it's always the last book they send.
... So many more. I'm just riffing off of old happy memories here. I guess my point is that there are diamonds in there. Keep digging.- My wife loved reading *Love, Mouserella* as theatrically as possible - I loved the art of *Where's my T-R-U-C-K?!* and sought out both the artist and the author because of it - I loved reading *Cool Time Song* in a gravelly African accent (I imagined Ofeibea Quist-Arcton - a gal that used to speak on NPR sometimes - reading it... go listen to her voice. Such a great voice.) - The Mine-O-Saur, Roly Poly Pangolin, - The "Llama-Llama" books. - Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight_Moon
( with bonus book ban credentials:
From the time of its publication in 1947 until 1972, the book was "banned" by the New York Public Library due to the then-head children's librarian Anne Carroll Moore's hatred of the book. According to children's literature expert Betsy Bird, Moore criticized Goodnight Moon due to the fact that she believed it lacked a meaningful narrative structure and educational value. ) - “Goodnight nobody, goodnight mush”
That line from Goodnight Moon fascinated me. What a strangely beautiful bit of absurdism in a children’s book!
This article really makes clear the beauty of the pacing and care for language in her work. Brown apparently spent several years crafting language of each of her stories. It’s quite subtle but much more evident when compared to some of the clumsier modern children’s books that I’ve read.
Also I think there are real insights for parents to be gained from considering her work. Brown really takes the subjective, sensory experiences of children’s seriously. It’s not easy for an adult to remember the sensations of feeling the world for the first time but i think it’s really important to try to have empathy for how children experience life.
- As an author, voice actor, and the dad of a three-year-old, there is something about "Goodnight Moon" that is a pleasure to read aloud. The pacing is excellent, the syllables deftly selected. My favorite passage is at the end: "Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere." There is something satisfying in the cadence of the words. It's difficult to articulate why this is.
Similarly satisfying kids' books: "Tomorrow Most Likely", and "All the World."
- Her most satisfying book to read out loud is "The Little Island". If you liked "Goodnight Moon" then you'll find this to be an absolute treat. It's also a somewhat odd story, but it's the book that I enjoyed reading to my son the most.
BTW, the book that I disliked reading the most was "The Little Engine That Could". It felt jarring to read -- like I never could quite catch my breath or my rhythm.
