Goodnight Moon [Board book]

Margaret Wise Brown (Author), Clement Hurd (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up

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 in chairs, to the clocks and his socks, to the mittens and the kittens, to everything one by one--he says goodnight.

In this classic of modern 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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Perhaps the perfect children's bedtime book, Goodnight Moon is a short poem of goodnight wishes from a young rabbit preparing for--or attempting to postpone--his own slumber. He says goodnight to every object in sight and within earshot, including the "quiet old lady whispering hush." 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 pesky. By the end of the little rabbit's goodnight poem, the story has quieted to a whisper, and the drawings have darkened with nightfall. As you turn the last page, you can expect a sleepy smile and at least a yawn or two. (Picture book)

From Publishers Weekly

Just in time for gift-giving season, the two hardcover staples for every nursery Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, illus. by Clement Hurd are now available in a handsome fabric-covered shrink-wrapped cardboard sleeve as A Margaret Wise Brown Gift Set. In addition, an oversize board book edition of Goodnight Moon makes the great green room larger than ever, allowing readers to trace with ease the tiny mouse that appears in each spread. (Sept.)
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Board book: 30 pages
• Publisher: HarperFestival; 1st board_book Ed. 1991 edition (August 2, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0694003611
• ISBN-13: 978-0694003617
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (806 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Rabbits
  • #7 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Sleep
  • #15 in Books > Children's Books > Education & Reference

More About the Author

Margaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her life, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny. Even though she died over 45 years ago, her books still sell very well. Margaret loved animals. Most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She liked to write books that had a rhythm to them. Sometimes she would put a hard word into the story or poem. She thought this made children think harder when they are reading. She wrote all the time. There are many scraps of paper where she quickly wrote down a story idea or a poem. She said she dreamed stories and then had to write them down in the morning before she forgot them. She tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story, which often isn't the same way an adult would tell a story. She also taught illustrators to draw the way a child saw things. One time she gave two puppies to someone who was going to draw a book with that kind of dog. The illustrator painted many pictures one day and then fell asleep. When he woke up, the papers he painted on were bare. The puppies had licked all the paint off the paper. Margaret died after surgery for a bursting appendix while in France. She had many friends who still miss her. They say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. Margaret saw herself as something else - a writer of songs and nonsense.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

120 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Once you have a child to read this to, you will understand!, December 22, 1999

By 

Suzanne Amara (MA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Goodnight Moon (Library Binding)

Until I started reading to my older son, I didn't really understand what was this book's unique hold on people was. However, from my first reading to him, I did! There must be something magical about this book and the way children love it. It's very comforting to them, with the easy to memorize lines and the gentle arrival in the great green room of nighttime. However, it's also full of little details for them to notice and delight in--the hidden mouse, the dollhouse with lights on, the pictures on the wall. It's the perfect book to start kids "reading" themselves---leave out the crucial word in a line and wait for them to say it---"a bowlful of...." "MUSH!", they scream with delight! And they all love the "Goodnight Nobody" page best---I think it really gets kids thinking in a philosophical way---How can you say Goodnight to Nobody? This book is a true, true gem and belongs in every library.

89 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic for a reason, May 3, 2001

By 

Jennifer L. Rogers (St. Louis, Mo USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Goodnight Moon (Board book)

I got this book (in the board version) for a shower gift for my now 2-year-old daughter. I didn't remember reading this book as a child and at first it seemed a little odd -- the pictures weren't tremendously appealing and the rhyme scheme seemed strange. I have, however, been converted. After reading the book several times to my newborn daughter, I noticed how soothing it was to her. She seemed to be able to see the pictures and, as she got older, would reach out to touch elements in each. We read it every night for months, because it seemed to set a good tone for bedtime. After learning a little more about how children think, I began to understand what made it so appealing -- the ritual of saying good night to familiar objects helped reassure her when she had to say good night to her mom and dad, which can be scary for tiny kids.

Now, of course, she's a big girl and says it's a "baby book". However, it's still by her bed and I've overheard her "reading" it to herself or to her baby brother many times. It's an excellent choice for a baby you love.

70 of 75 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read this Book to Create Happy Memories and Pleasant Sleep, November 6, 1999

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Goodnight Moon (Board book)

This is a book that I read every night to my children. For years, I could not quite put my finger on its appeal. Finally, it clicked one day. There is a cadence to the story that is like a mediation mantra, quietly and gently calming you and your child down. In addition, the book's text and illustrations are matched in away that it is natural to point out the words and pictures to your child, and for them to do the same as they grow older. This means that you are also starting to teach reading in natural, relaxed way. In addition, we all tend to see the glass as half empty rather than as half full. Goodnight Moon encourages a sense of gratitude for whatever is around us. That is a profound and wonderful lesson for everyone to have. Finally, children are fascinated by how another child's room might look. So you also help them to understand the differences among families. How many other books do you know that accomplish so much? Best of all, you and your children (and grandchildren, perhaps) will have wonderful memories to share. That's fantastic! Enjoy!