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Bedtime Picture Books

A good bedtime story can help dial down your child’s energy level and get him ready for a good night’s sleep. Here’s a fantastic selection of bedtime picture books that you can share with your children.

Download my free library list to take with you on your next visit to the library.

Bedtime for Frances book cover

Bedtime for Frances
by Russell Hoban

An overactive imagination can be a problem for a young badger at bedtime. Just ask Frances. Tigers, giants, a creepy crack in the ceiling, softly blowing curtains—all of these make it difficult for Frances to close her eyes and fall asleep.

Cant You Sleep, Little Bear? book cover

Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear?
by Martin Waddell

Sometimes little bears (and little girls and boys) are afraid of the dark. When Little Bear can’t sleep, Big Bear finds a lantern to brighten up the dark cave. And eventually he convinces Little Bear that maybe the dark isn’t as scary as it seems!

A House in the Woods book cover

A House in the Woods
by Inga Moore

When the homes of two little pigs are accidentally broken by a too-big moose and a lumbering bear, the animals decide it’s time to build a home where they can all live together. They build a house … and develop lifelong friendships in the process.

Goodnight Already! book cover

Goodnight Already!
by Jory John & Benji Davies

Bear is so tired he could sleep for months! But when he tries to get some much-needed shut-eye, his energetic next-door neighbor has other plans. Can Bear convince Duck that it’s time to say Goodnight Already?

Little Hoot book cover

Little Hoot
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

“I don’t want to go to bed!” Little Hoot wants to go to bed early, but he’s an owl, and everyone knows, owls have to stay up late. “I don’t want to stay up!” Kids and adults alike will giggle at the irony of Little Owl’s problem.

Good Night, Little Bear book cover

Good Night, Little Bear
by Patricia & Richard Scarry

This Golden Books classic bedtime story by Patricia Scarry is just about as sweet as they come. It may be time for bed, but for Little Bear that just means it’s time for a playful game of hide-and-seek with Papa Bear.

Interrupting Chicken book cover

Interrupting Chicken
by David Ezra Stein

Are your story times prone to interruptions from over-excited listeners? If so, you’ll certainly relate to the patient papa in Interrupting Chicken. Maybe you can get through this adorable picture book without interruptions. Then again, maybe not.

Lights Out book cover

Lights Out
by Arthur Giesert

The young pig in Lights Out resists bedtime. But the piglet has a plan and his twenty-nine bedtime steps will entertain your child—and you—page by page, pulley by pulley, from the attic to the basement and back again. (Read my full review.)

Hush! A Thai Lullaby book cover

Hush! A Thai Lullaby
by Mingfong Ho

In this soothing Caldecott medal-winning bedtime story, a Mother gently hushes a squeaking mouse, a sweeping buffalo, a meowing cat, and even a shrieking elephant as her baby soundly sleeps. And before long, everyone is sleeping.

Kiss Good Night book cover

Kiss Good Night
by Amy Hest

In this endearing bedtime story, Sam’s mother tucks Sam into bed. She reads him a bedtime story, she bundles him up in his blankets, she tucks in his stuffed animal friends, and she gives him a glass of milk. But something’s missing … what could it be?

Steam Train, Dream Train book cover

Steam Train, Dream Train
by Sherri Duskey Rinker

All aboard! A nighttime crew of monkeys, elephants, camels and polar bears load up the dream train with their cargo and settle in for a sleepy journey. The gentle rhythm and rhyme will transport your little one to dream land in no time!

Owl Babies book cover

Owl Babies
by Martin Waddell

This beautiful book offers the gentle reassurance that mother is always close by. The owl babies in this stunningly illustrated story awaken to find their mother missing. Where did she go? Will she come back? But soon the anxious owls are celebrating their mother’s return … and so will you!

Mitchell's License book cover

Mitchell’s License
by Hallie Durand

Gentlemen, start your engines! It may be bedtime, but that doesn’t matter to Mitchell. He is ready to go! Hallie Durand’s clever picture book will drive your little one to bed along with Mitchell and his very special car.

I Need My Monster book cover

I Need My Monster
by Amanda Noll

Most kids are terrified at the thought of hearing a monster under the bed, but not Ethan. He can’t sleep without his monster Gabe, but unfortunately Gabe has gone fishing. Lots of monsters offer to scare Ethan while Gabe is away, but it’s just not the same … Ethan needs his monster.

Sleep Like a Tiger book cover

Sleep Like a Tiger
by Mary Logue

What if you could sleep like the animals do? What if you could curl up like a cinnamon roll inside your shell like a snail? Or nestle into the warmest spot in the house like a cat? Animals know how to sleep … maybe they can teach you!

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site book cover

Goodnight, Goodnight,
Construction Site

by Sherri Duskey Rinker

The lilting cadence of a construction site going through its bedtime rituals will help encourage sweet motor dreams. Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site will quiet your little truck lover and get him ready for bed. (Read my full review.)

FREE Bedtime Picture Books Library List

Bedtime Picture Books Library List download

Would you like to read some of my favorite bedtime picture books with your children? Click to download our list to take to your local library.

Looking for MORE books? You can find more great library lists here!

Bedtime Picture Books Recommended by Our Readers

Do you have a favorite picture book about bedtime? Please share it in the comments and I’ll add it to our Readers’ Picks list!

FREE Picture Book LIbrary Lists

All About Learning Press, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. All proceeds from our partnership with Amazon.com will be donated to local libraries.

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Rachel

says:

Thank you for This list! My boys have enjoyed these books.

Olivia

says:

Reading to my children at bedtime is a practice I know I’ll always remember fondly! When I’m tired but read anyway, I always feel glad that I did; and my kids enjoy it, even if the story is punctuated by yawns. It’s a pleasant feeling to end the day for the whole family in this positive way!

Jaime Towner

says:

Thanks…always looking for new ideas.

Mel

says:

Learned about your products at a convention earlier this year and just began visiting the blog. Eager to look around! Thanks!

Robin E.

says: Customer Service

Let us know if you have any questions, Mel!

Karen

says:

We also love
You can do it Sam by Amy Hest,
Bear feels Scared by Karma Wilson,
Delicious and Pumpkin soup and Delicious! by Helen Cooper,
A Gold Star for Zog and the Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson

Robin E.

says: Customer Service

Thanks for the recommendations, Karen!

Corinne

says:

Thank you for sharing your favorites with us. Many of those were mine, too, when my boys were little. Now I get to read to grandchildren!

Meagan Snide

says:

Thanks for this list! I can’t wait to take it with us to the library soon!

Audrey

says:

Thanks for the wonderful book list. It’s always exciting finding new great books for my kiddos. It inspires the adventurers in them.

Kathleen

says:

Thank you for the list of books to read. It’s great to have a list to take with me to the library next time we go.

Jazmin

says:

Thank you for the reading list. I’m always on the lookout for good bedtime stories.

Magela Gonzalez

says:

Thank you for this great list of books!

Gail S

says:

What a great list of books!

Shannon

says:

These are some of our family favorites!

Cynthia Mercado

says:

I love these bedtime books for my grandchildren.

Sam P

says:

It’s always great to get new ideas on bedtime books to help keep things new.

Anne Turner

says:

I read a lot with my older 2, but my last 3 came so close that I haven’t gotten into the routine. I need to pick up on it. Thank you for a great starting list ?

Robin E.

says: Customer Service

Anne,
Bedtime reading never worked well for me with my 5 kids, so I simply incorporated reading aloud to them in some other part of the day. I started naptime reading in the afternoon instead, and even now that my baby is 9 years old I still read aloud in the afternoons (usually while the kids work on some sort of project, like art, GI Joe battle arrangements, or whatever they are working on this week).

Wendy Thelen

says:

I haven’t heard of a lot of these books. So excited to check some of them out. Thanks for always making such greats lists for us to use.

Lori

says:

We have a few of the books on the list but can’t wait to find the others at the library! Thanks for making this list…

Mandy T.

says:

I’ll never forget the night my then four year old daughter fell asleep as I was reading Dr. Suess’s Sleep Book. Another sweet book to read on a stormy night is Stormy Weather by Debi Gliori.

Susie Chilcote

says:

Thanks for compiling such a great list of books. I look forward to reading some the titles listed to my children.

DailyWoman (Lacey)

says:

Looks like a great selection of bedtime stories.

Kristal

says:

This is a great selection! We also love doing our devotionals together at night as well.

Jennifer V

says:

Love this post! I haven’t heard of some of these books. I will have to check them out.

ACP

says:

Little Lamb by Mem Fox is always a hit for us. My kids love any rhyming books too.

Robin E.

says: Customer Service

Thanks for the recommendation!

Fibia

says:

Some of your recommendations are our favorites, too!

Kathryn

says:

We enjoy a book called The Biggest Bear. At then at the end of the book it shows a constellation bear and the book lights up.

Tanara

says:

These are some of our favorites!

Bobbie

says:

Great selection of stories.

Jean r

says:

Some good ideas to add to her wishlist

Courtney Boyce

says:

Such a great selection of stories. Can’t wait to dive into some of these.