Instill a love of reading—and get your child to sleep—by reading children’s bedtime story books every night. Take a look at our top picks here.
It’s the question I get more than any other. The topic everyone has battled with at some point or another. Bedtime. Namely, how can we get our kids to fall asleep / stay asleep / not be so scared about sleep.
We can sleep train and coerce and give rewards as a way to convince our kids to go to sleep. But one of the best ways to overcome this challenge is through children’s books about bedtime.
With books, kids can relate to the characters. They realize they’re not so alone, and their feelings validated. They’re also able to discuss and define emotions they may not know how to voice, or even know to exist.
And books are fun! They’re a great way to discuss bedtime challenges in a relaxed, natural manner.
Below are several favorites. Some deal with resistance to bedtime, while others help transition our kids to sleep.
Top children’s bedtime story books
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, which means I will earn a commission—at no extra cost to you—if you make a purchase.
Ten Little Night Stars by Deb Gruelle
Go Sleep in Your Own Bed by Candace Fleming
(Thanks Penguin Random House for my copy!)
I Am Not Sleepy and I Will Not Go to Bed by Lauren Child
Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
I Don’t Want to Go to Bed! by Julie Sykes
Jake Stays Awake by Michael Wright
It’s Time to Sleep, My Love by Nancy Tillman
There’s an Alligator under My Bed by Mercer Mayer
Here are more reader suggestions for children’s bedtime books:
- Ten, Nine, Eight by Molly Bang
- Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton
- Daddy’s Lullaby by Tony Bradman
- Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
- Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest
- The Night Night Book by Marianne Richmond
- A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na
- Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker
- Sam Sheep Can’t Sleep by Phil Roxbee Cox
- Can’t Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill
- Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker
And here are more tips about sleep:
- How to End Your Child’s Nighttime Fears
- 6 Tips to Help Your Child Sleep in Her Own Bed
- Bedtime Battles: How to Come Out on the Winning End
- Help Your Child Sleep Through the Night
- Why I Regret Rocking My Baby To Sleep
- How Late Is Too Late for Your Child’s Bedtime?
Want even more book selections? Join my newsletter and download my Read Aloud Book List! You’ll get hundreds of favorite selections to read aloud with your kids. Get it below—at no cost to you:
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Betsy at Parenting is Funny says
April 12, 2014 at 10:18 amLlama Llama Red Pajama is another great one. And I totally use books as motivation for my kids to pick up their toys before bed. Also, perhaps it’s just me, but there aren’t any links to your blog in the emails that I get sent. Thought I should let you know that in case it’s not just me!
Nina says
April 12, 2014 at 3:21 pmOoh yes I remember that book. I’ll add that to the list. And thanks for the heads up re: the links Betsy. I emailed you privately for more details, as I’m not sure which ones aren’t going through. I’ve been having problems with my email delivery so I’m not surprised something fishy is going on. Hope to get it back on track soon!
Tiffany says
April 14, 2014 at 3:14 amThese are great books…some new ones we haven’t read yet! 🙂
Katie @ Pick Any Two says
April 14, 2014 at 9:08 amWe read at least two books every night before bed, and my son loves it. Some of these are already on our bookshelf, but some are brand new to me. Can’t wait to check them out!
Nilsa @ SoMi Speaks says
April 14, 2014 at 12:24 pmGreat recommendations. Looking forward to checking out some new books. Some of our favorite bedtime books are I Took the Moon for A Walk, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site and Jazz Baby.
Nina says
April 14, 2014 at 7:59 pmThanks for the suggestions, Nilsa!
Rebeccafaith says
April 15, 2014 at 9:11 amPinned this for future book buying! LOVE adding titles to my…err I mean Dylan’s book collection
Nina says
April 15, 2014 at 7:23 pmIsn’t it funny we say it’s ‘our’ books? Anytime someone asks what my kids are reading, I say, “Oh, *we’re* reading…”
maryanne @ mama smiles says
April 15, 2014 at 10:42 pmI am intrigued by the cover of “It’s Time to Sleep, My Love” – it isn’t one I have seen before! “Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear?” by Martin Waddell is one of my favorite bedtime stories, mainly because of the illustrations of the little bear tossing and turning in bed!
Nina says
April 16, 2014 at 6:38 amThanks for the suggestion, MaryAnne! I just added it to my list. I’m loving the illustration, too.
Rachael (Mushroomsmum) says
April 16, 2014 at 5:39 amGreat list! Mushroom is battling bedtime again now – more since the dummy fairy took his dummy – so we need all the help we can get! At the moment he’s not that interested in his books. I made up some stories for him and now every night he asks ‘make up a story Mummy!’ It’s very sweet but he corrects me in the middle of the story and starts making up his own version, which wakes him up! We still look at books in the daytime though so will try a couple of these then. Hope I can get them from the amazon UK site!
Nina says
April 16, 2014 at 6:40 amAw poor guy. Hope he adjusts well to not having his pacifier. They should write a book about that! lol. And that’s awesome he makes up his own stories. I admit I don’t do “freestyle”storytelling as much as I probably could. I don’t even favor books without words too much. When we get those, I make my kid tell me what’s happening haha.
Catherine says
April 16, 2014 at 1:02 pmThe Charlie and Lola story is one of our favourites.
We also like Can’t you sleep Little Bear by Martin Waddell and The Say Goodnight to the Sleepy Animals books by Ian Whybrow.
Nina says
April 16, 2014 at 3:49 pmThanks for the suggestions, Catherine! I’ve added “The Say Goodnight…” book to my list to check out 🙂 MaryAnne also mentioned Can’t You Sleep Little Bear as one of her faves, so I know I *really* have to check it out now!
Tiffiny says
April 17, 2014 at 7:43 amI just saw your link at the Kid Lit Blog Hop. Great list! We read “Dinosaur vs. Bedtime,” it was a hoot! My daughter also LOVES “Goodnight Moon.” She is also currently enjoying “Goodnight Gorilla.”
Nina says
April 17, 2014 at 8:43 pmThanks, Tiffiny. I’ll check out Goodnight Gorilla again. My kid likes wordless books because he gets to tel lstories 🙂
Julie Grasso says
April 18, 2014 at 11:38 pmWow, a great list. A few on here we haven’t read, Mortimer, and Jake Stays Awake, look very cool. We will have to pin them and check them out. As a mom of a toddler who didn’t sleep for the first 2 years of her life, who now does sleep, it seems like I would never be able to appreciate books like this, but now, we thankfully can say that we do. Great list of sleep resources too. Thanks so much for joining us on the Kid Lit Blog Hop
Nina says
April 19, 2014 at 10:38 amSo glad you’re finally sleeping, Julie! Wow, two years!! It eventually happens, right? 😉
Reshama says
April 21, 2014 at 11:18 amWe used to have such fun with these gentle books.. i miss those days sometimes ! Now its more chapter book and adventure reading, this is fun too.. but its different 🙂
Thanks for sharing the list on Kidlit Bloghop. I have added the list on my Pinterest to share with others.
-Reshama @Stackingbooks
Nina says
April 21, 2014 at 8:19 pmReshama, I’m so looking forward to chapter books with my kids! I’m big on Harry Potter and grew up on Little House on the Prairie and all the Roald Dahl books. Can’t wait! And thanks so much for the pin—truly appreciate it!
Melissa says
October 28, 2015 at 6:41 pmLots of new ones here for me! We like Lauren Child’s books so I will probably get that one.
Nina says
October 29, 2015 at 9:31 pmAwesome, Melissa! Glad the list came in handy.
christina says
December 28, 2017 at 4:00 pmim a grandma of 4 babies 4 and under they love when i read to them. i would love a book of nite time stories and a great bible for this age to start them young
Nina Garcia says
December 28, 2017 at 6:31 pmYou’re fantastic, Christina! You’re doing a great job reading to them and establishing a consistent routine and a love of learning. I hope you can find a bedtime book out of these selections to read with your little ones!