Lulu's book pick- 5/8/06

Author- Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrations- Clement Hurd
1947

This is THE perfect children's bedtime book! This is a classic I remember having as a kid. First published in 1947, this one has been helping children drift off to slumber land for over 50 years!

A bunny prepares for bed and postpones it by saying goodnight to everything in sight. Clement Hurd's illustrations are simple and effective, alternating between small ink drawings and wide, brightly colored views of the little rabbit's room.

Finding all of the items mentioned throughout the book within the pictures is a good bedtime activity--a reappearing little mouse is particularly fun to spot. My daughter loves to find the two kittens and points to them every time so that I will say, “meow” (A different tone for each cat). She also likes the line- “and goodnight to the old lady whispering hush." (She says the “hush” part.)
By the end of the little rabbit's goodnight poem, the story has quieted to a whisper, and the drawings have darkened with nightfall. When we finish the book we say goodnight to the stuffed animals she sleeps with and finish it off by saying goodnight to each other.
I have been reading this one to her for almost all of her 33 months. It got so worn out that we are actually on our second copy!

Note: There are some people who are upset by certain images in the room- an uncovered fireplace complete with a fire blazing in it, vermin running around freely, a phone by the young rabbit’s bed…I personally think that is a little silly. It’s a BUNNY and it IS make believe. If these people actually think that MAYBE a bunny has a fancy room with, among other things, a fireplace and what would, in reality, have to be either incredibly small cats or a very large scary bunny, then I worry about them.

This is a definite must for your child’s bedtime library.
Available from Amazon for 6.99 for the paperback, $7.99 for the board book and $17.89 for the hardcover. Also available as a paperback and CD set!