Bedtime Books to Help Your Kid Wind Down for Sleep

With his signature blend of colorful pictures, reassurance, humor and heart, Todd Parr puts a twist on the traditional bedtime story with all the animals sharing why they aren't quite ready to go to sleep.

It's time for bed!

But, no one is ready for bed

The raccoon has the hiccups

The narwhal needs to take her bath.

And the bear is hungry.

A message of hope and possibility this picture book is an ode to a child's imagination, a parent's love, and the big dreams they both shared.

When Ebere's mother puts her to bed at night, she always says, "Remember to dream, Ebere." And dream, Ebere does! Encouraged by her mother to make her dreams as big as possible, Ebere imagines herself as the captain of a rocket ship with the ability to go anywhere in the universe.

This graceful and playfully rhyming picture book is the perfect way ease the wind-down to sleep and have kids gliding into bed!

Two satin slippers with bunny-ear toes and stripy pajamas are dreamy dance clothes . . .

When the sun sets, the ballet can begin! From the first notes of the crickets’ outdoor orchestra to her grand finale indoors, one little girl glissés and jetés her way to bedtime. Rhyming verse, fun sound effects and elegant French words add delicious read-aloud flair to this delightful, dance-filled tale.

Instead of counting sheep this book will have your little one answering all of Owl's persistent questions in their dreams in this giggle-worthy bedtime story.

Will Owl ever get a good night's sleep? He's ready for bed, but as soon as he settles in, he hears a strange noise. He looks everywhere—in his cupboard, underneath the floorboards—even in his walls. He'll never get to sleep unless he can figure out what's going on! But as he's busy tearing his house apart, he doesn't notice one tiny, squeaky, mouse-shaped detail—the culprit!

A gorgeous picture book that tells a whimsical origin story of the phases of the moon.

Pat, pat, pat…

Little Star’s soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake.

Little Star loves the delicious Mooncake that she bakes with her mama. But she’s not supposed to eat any yet! What happens when she can’t resist a nibble?

The tender drawings and gentle dialogue between mother and child in this book sing a modern lullaby that helps children lull themselves into dreamland.

Little Bunny can't sleep! There's so much to think and wonder about, big and small. But with a nudge from Mommy, Little Bunny discovers that sometimes our thoughts can be turned into happy dreams . . . where anything is possible.

A heartwarming text honoring the ever-evolving relationship of a parent and child across time, with visually striking art.

Each evening when the sun has set, as nighttime casts a starry net, I'll hitch a ride on moonbeams, and meet you in your dreams.

This poetic and tender story celebrates the parent-and-child bond in its many forms and offers gentle assurance of love across a lifetime. Two parents' dreams of the future with their children—from early dependence for nourishment and basic needs, to the parent as home base for a child in later life—mirror an always-changing but unbreakable relationship.

An homage to classic bedtime stories and their creators, from a beloved artist and author himself, Patrick McDonnell.

This bedtime book captures the magic of a sleepover with friends, and reminds us to cherish life’s simplest pleasures. During a fun pajama party, three animal friends dance and play, but at last everyone is getting sleepy. Is it time for bed yet? Not before taking the time to say thank you for the day, the night, and good friends.

A time-honored bedtime ritual gets a new twist in this rollicking mash-up of counting sheep and nursery rhyme characters.

One night, a boy counts sheep as he tries to fall asleep.

Crash!

Sheep 101 is stuck in the fence. Will he ever get out and get the little boy to sleep? Meet Sheep 101 and his colorful cast of characters, like Humpty Dumpty, Blind Mouse, Little Piggy, and more!

Just one more before bedtime? Please??

It’s time for tuck-in, and your little one wants just one more moment with you–so fill it with something that will feed the imagination, fuel a love of reading, and send them off to sleep in a snap. Reach for a one-minute poem!

When the busy day is drawing to a close and the whole family is ready for rest, take a minute for poetry and send your little one off to sleep.

If your little one is not-quite-ready-for-bedtime, they should get ready to meet someone else who isn’t ready. Together can defeat this time old enemy?!

Roaaaar! Roaaaar! This little dinosaur usually wins everything, and nothing can stop him—not talking grownups, spaghetti, or even bath time. But what happens when he faces the biggest challenge of all—bedtime? With a dramatic, giggle-inducing storytime text including irresistible ROAARS, little dinosaurs will be begging for this book to be read again and again!