What Makes The Perfect Bedtime Story? {+ A Night Night Sleepytown Book Review}

**Book received for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own. 

We love a good bedtime story!

There's something so calming about settling down with a good book, for adult and kids alike. This is a habit that starts young in my household with a large variety of good bedtime story books to choose from.

But what makes a good bedtime story?

If you ask me it comes down to just a few simple things:

A Calming Flow.

The best bedtime stories to me often have a rhythmic type feel as you read through. Calming, repetitive... almost with a lullaby like quality to them. As much as we love a silly story during the day, we prefer something that will help us settle at night.

A Good Message.

Kids books in general all come down to the message in my home. I love a book that teaches a good lesson or reminds us of something important. That goes for bedtime stories as well. Sometimes I feel as though my children take in the most during those nighttime reads--- being such a calm time and all--- and so it's great to give them those last minute lessons before they head to bed.

A Perfect Length.

Perhaps one of the biggest factors in choosing which bedtime stories we read each night are that they are the perfect length. Not crazy short in that the child doesn't have time to really settle... but short enough that you're not reading it all night long. And let's be honest, kids always love to read it just 'one more time', so shorter is always better.

There are MANY great stories out there that fit those qualifications, and I am excited to share a new one today that my daughter has recently fallen in love with, 'Night Night Sleepytown':

The sun is sinking low, and Sleepytown is ready to say, “Night night!” Join bestselling author Amy Parker and award-winning illustrator Virginia Allyn in the latest Night Night adventure through Sleepytown, the charming little village where residents are drifting off to dreamland, just like your little one is sure to do.
Sleep may come slowly for many toddlers, and Night Night, Sleepytown is just the cozy story to help your little one nod off for the evening. Even the most stubborn bedtime resisters will love this delightful board book full of fun and silly characters who are getting ready for sleepy time in Sleepytown.
Amy Parker and Virginia Allyn, the same award-winning pair behind the bestselling books Night Night, Farm and Night Night, Train, team up again for this brand-new story that is equally appealing for little boys and little girls. Complete your collection with Night Night, Sleepytown today!

'Night Night Sleepytown' meets all of the qualifications we look for in a good bedtime story. First and foremost, it's very calming. It has a great flow with a rhythm that kids will pick up on very quickly. I love how each turn of the page ends with the same phrase wishing all the people in town a good night. Not only does that rhythm offer a great soothing effect, but reminds kids that it's time for bed and puts them in that 'good night' mindset. Next up, a good lesson. Now, this one might not be an overt lesson as some provide, but I loved what it was showing kids anyway: that everyone in the town had their roles and those roles were important... ALL of them! I loved how in its subtle ways, it showed kids how everyone in the community works together to create something wonderful. Now, will kids pick up on that? I don't know, maybe not... but as a mom, I enjoyed seeing that. And finally, it was the perfect length. Long enough to draw kids in, but short enough that we could read it quickly and easily... and on repeat as needed.

Aside from all that, it was a cute story that my daughter absolutely loved. One of her favorite parts was spotting ANOTHER 'Night Night' book being read by one of the characters among the pages! If you have a child that has already fallen in love with these bestselling nighttime books, this is one that they will want to add to their collection. If it's their first, they are certain to fall in love and perhaps even find themselves wanting them all.

'Night Night Sleepytown' is available to purchase now at your favorite Christian book retailers.




What do you look for in the perfect bedtime story? How do the Night Night books stand up?