Current Reads & Reviews: A Classic Picture Book

Brown, Margaret Wise. Goodnight Moon. New York: HarperFestival, 2007.
Hurd, Clement. 2007. Goodnight Moon. by Margaret Wise Brown. New York: HarperFestival.
            ISBN 0694003611

Summary: This is a sweet little storybook about a little bunny needing to get to sleep, but not before he says goodnight to all that he loves in his colorful room.

Analysis: Goodnight Moon is a classic storybook board-book that is an excellent read for the little ones, though the story will comfort anyone. We enter into the little bunny's room, surrounded by all his little knickknacks and friends keeping him company, everything in bold bright colors. The little things spread out will have children actively participating in this read. Each character is having their own adventure... the little mouse and kittens will pop up in different places as you turn the pages, keeping the eyes of the children exploring the illustrations throughout. Children will see reflections of themselves in these characters. Brown's wordplay with assonance, rhyme, and repeated phrases will entice the little reader to join along.

It is Hurd's illustrations that has the reader feeling like they are transforming from an awake state to a dreamlike state. He conveys this by the vibrant colors changing to black and white projecting a sleepiness as the room slowly darkens throughout the story. The shift from lightness to darkness has the effect of closing one's eyes as sleep is taking over. With the room immersed in darkness and the accent lighting from the the warmth of the fire and the moon lurking outside the window with the bright stars leaves one feeling restful, peaceful.

Accolades/Scholarly Reviews: Alaska's Association Of School Librarians Battle Of The Books Nominees 2003-04; Publisher's Weekly Children's Books Fall 1997; Horn Book Guide Reviews 2002 Spring; CLS Basic Juvenile - Board Books 2001

From Publisher's Weekly 08/20/2001: "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."

Connections: Read the companion storybooks beginning with The Runaway Bunny and ending with My World. Both written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd.