Goodnight Glow Worms (Aura Parker, Puffin)

Sleepy, cute and appealing bedtime books that, by their simplicity and rhythm, gently rock their readers to sleep are always welcome in families with small children. Most of us know, or have known, small children who just can’t settle down. Reading to a child at bedtime is a time-honoured way of winding down at the end of a busy day and such a book should be soothing and sleep-inducing. Goodnight Glow Worms, with its gentle, rhyming text, introduces a group of glow worms at bedtime. They all find it difficult to settle down as there seems to be too much stimulation—there’s even a crisis when one glow worm totally abandons sleep. On the last double-page spread all five are finally and happily asleep, and so too will the reader be. The simple text is accompanied by gently coloured illustrations, all depicting the cave where the glow worms live. The five glow worms are all different colours, with different features, so small readers will be able to follow their favourite through the illustrations. Children will be able join in the action with these appealing characters as they prepare for sleep. Goodnight Glow Worms is recommended as bedtime reading for children aged four to seven.

Margaret Hamilton AM is a former children’s book publisher. She is now proprietor of Pinerolo, the Children’s Book Cottage in Blackheath, NSW

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