gatorgirlie's Full Review: Margaret Wise Brown - Goodnight Moon: Pw Zoo Hli
I know that most people have heard of this book before, probably during their childhood, but this wasn't in my arsenal of books. Oh sure, I know what Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Giving Tree are... but Goodnight Moon just wasn't something my parents read to me.
I missed out as a child, apparently.
Basic Book Info
Goodnight Moon is an iconic bedtime story written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd. I purchased this book in the "board book" format with sturdy, easy to turn pages. It has 34 pages and retails for $7.99 in this form. The publisher is HarperFestival and the board book was issued in 1991 (though I believe the original book was written in the 50s). You can honestly find this book anywhere children's books are sold... and it is recommended for ages baby (newborn) to preschooler.
Neat Trivia
This book is such an icon, there have been many references to it through other forms of media. The trivia show Who Wants to be a Millionaire had a question based on this book. The first episode of the show Animaniacs (one of my all-time favorite cartoons) had a short parody of the rhymes. It has been featured in other cartoons like The Simpsons and Family Guy, as well as in movies (The Exorcist III) and comics (Goodnight Opus by Berkley Breathed and Zits).
The story
Essentially this book shows a little bunny going to sleep in his room. He goes through and says goodnight to various things (like clocks, socks, kittens, etc) before settling down to sleep. The story rhymes and it is a bit on the shorter side (only a few words per page).
My Opinion
First, I love the way the book is illustrated. At first glance, the illustrations look plain and ordinary... just a child's room filled with trinkets and a roving mouse. The book's pages switch from color shots of the room itself to black and white snapshots of specific items (like mittens). If you pay attention to the color shots, you'll notice neat things like the sky darkening and the moon slowly rising. The clocks all move forward in time, and the bowl of mush gets smaller and smaller. It's fun to find the mouse (the only thing present in every color shot of the room) as he roams around the room (apparently avoiding the two playful kitties). The room, while filled with various objects, is drawn well (uncluttered) so toddlers can point to the different things you're saying goodnight to. My son can find the moon in the night sky because of this book. Actually, part of the fun is going through the book and labeling anything your child points to (we'll usually do this during the day, not at bedtime).
Tt's an adorable bedtime book. I always try to continually lower my pitch until, at the very end, I'm whispering. Talk about putting my son to sleep -- he cannot fall asleep at night without this book. You could read him five books besides this one, but Goodnight Moon is the magical bedtime book. The pages are sturdy and slightly glossy -- they usually don't stick.
Overall
This is a perfect example of a bedtime book -- quick reading, a little rhyme and cute illustrations. Goodnight Moon is a book that everyone should include in their child's library!!!
A little rabbit bids goodnight to each familiar thing in his room, in this classic story told with gently lulling words and soothing illustrations. 19...More at Barnes & Noble.com
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