Books for bedtime to read to children | The School Reading List

Here's our selection of great books to read to children at bedtime, with a selection of stories and poems by Jill Murphy, Allan Ahlberg, Maurice ... Skiptocontent Menu Home»Resources»Booksforbedtime Booksforbedtime!Here’sourselectionofgreatbookstoreadtochildrenatbedtime,withaselectionofstoriesandpoemsbyJillMurphy,AllanAhlberg,MauriceSendak,MichaelRosen,MartinWaddell,FionaWatt,ClaireFreedman,andmore. Forbookpricesandordering,clickonthecoverimage.Internationalordersclickhere Bedtimestorybooksforchildrenaged0-11–ourrecommendations Booksforbedtime–childrenaged0-3 AGreatBigCuddlebyMichaelRosen.Heartwarmingpoemswhichareidealtoreadandsharewithyourchildatbedtime.AreYouSleeping?byConstanzeVonKitzing.Alionwhoisdesperatetofindfriendstoplaywithbeforeit’stimeforsleep.Canhefindanyonebeforehismumcallshim?ILoveYouToTheMoonAndBackbyTimWarnes.Perfectforsharedreadingattheendofabusyday.Agreatbooktoreread. MonkeyBedtimebyAlexEnglishWithrhymingcouplets,onomatopoeicverbsandanoutrageousstoryline,wefollowalittleboy’sbedtimeroutineasitdegeneratesintomonkeybusiness.Bedtimeissidetrackedbyrealbaboons,howlermonkeys,capuchins,ashriekingmandrillandmore!Thelipsticktotinggibbonisdefinitelyahighlightandthenexttimeyourunoutoftoothpaste,justblamethemarmoset.Acrackingbedtimestorythatchildrenwillwanttoreadagainandagain. SweetDreams,Peter!byBeatrixPotter.Followeachanimalastheyfallasleep.Timelessandcharming.TickleMyEars(LittleRabbit)byJorgMuhle.Agoodbooktoreinforcebedtimeroutines.LlamaLlamaRedPajamabyAnnaDewdney.Awonderfulandcatchyrhymingstory. GroupHugbyJeanReidyandJoeyChouToldincatchyrhymingverse,acharmingfriendlyslugcheerseveryoneupbygivingthemahug.Includingalonelybeetle,agrumpymouse,anoutofsortsskunk,asmellysquirrelandabeaverwithwork-lifebalanceissues,theslugmanagestospreadjoyandwarmththroughgrouphugs.ThebrightvibrantillustrationswillbeusefultodiscussincircletimewithchildreninnurseryandEYFS.Itwillalsomakeforasoothingbedtimestoryfortheunder4s. That’snotmyteddybyFionaWatt.Partofaseriesofsimilarbookswhichareidealtopromotesensoryawareness.TenLittleFingersandTenLittleToesbyMemFoxandHelenOxenbury.Greatforcountingandrepetition.PeepobyJanetAhlbergandAllanAhlberg.Aclassictoreadagainandagain,andidealforactions. GoodnightMoonbyMargaretWiseBrown.Alullabyofabedtimestorythatisperfecttoreadtotoddlers.SayGoodnight:AFirstBookforBabiesbyHelenOxenbury.Wonderfulillustrations–thisbookisgreattoshare.YawnbySallySymesandNickSharratt.Interactiveandinfectiouslycatchy.Abedtimehit.[/threecol_one] TenLittleDogsbyRuthBrownAfuncountingstoryaboutanever-decreasingnumberofdogs.Withdetailedillustrationsthatwillpromptpreschoolchildrentoaskquestionspredictwhatwillhappennext,the10dogsarereducedtojustoneaseachoneisdistractedorembroiledinanadventure.There’sasatisfyingandhappyendingwhichmakesthisbookagoodbedtimeread. Booksforbedtime–childrenaged3-5 OwlBabiesbyMartinWaddell.Agreatbooktoreassuresmallchildrenthatparentsarealwayscloseby.CloseYourEyesbyKateBanks.Highlyimaginativewithgreatillustrationstoencouragechildrentodreamandsleep.ABraveBearbySeanTaylor.Agreatstorybookforbedtimefordadstoreadtochildren. BeepBeepBeepTimeForSleep!byClaireFreedman&RichardSmythe.Ifyourchildlikescarsandmachines,thismightbetheperfectbooktohelpthemsettletosleep.Dave’sCavebyFrannPreston-Gannon.Afunnybookwithlotsofrepetitionandopportunitiesforvoices.GoodnightTigerbyTimothyKnapman.Idealtoreinforceendofthedayroutines. StanleyandRhodabyRosemaryWellsAclassicpicturebookwiththreestoriesthatexploregettingalongwithsiblingsandfriendssensitivelyandfunnily.‘Don’ttouchit,don’tlookatit’withDrZuckermanistimeless.Agreatbedtimestory. TheySayBluebyJillianTamaki.Goodtopromotediscussionandimagination–greatillustrations.Let’sJoinInbyShirleyHughes.Idealtosharewithyourchildatbedtime.HugbyJezAlborough.Acharmingstoryaboutachimpseekingoutanelusivehug. GuessHowMuchILoveYoubySamMcBratneyandAnitaJeram.Atimelessclassictoreadagainandagain.OntheNightYouWereBornbyNancyTillman.Thought-provokingandidealfordiscussion.WhateverNext!byJillMurphy.Funnyandmemorable–abooktoreturntoagainandagain. ArloTheLionWhoCouldn’tSleepbyCatherineRaynerTryashemight,Arlocannotgettosleep.There’salwayssomethingstoppinghim–it’seithertoohot,toocold,toonoisyorjusttoohard.Thenanenchantingowlspeakinginrhymeshowshimhow.Abeautifulbooktoshareatbedtime.Destinedtobecomeamodernclassic. ThisBookisNotaBedtimeStorybyEoinMcLaughlinandRobertStarlingThisBookisNotaBedtimeStorybyEoinMcLaughlinandRobertStarling.Ananarchicrompofabedtimebookwithboldandvibrantpicturesandnarratedbyaself-styled‘World’sScariestMonster’,whoisanythingbut.Agoodbookforuntanglingnighttimefears,thisstorywillalsoappealtochildrenwhoareresistanttobedtimeroutines. VegPatchPartybyClareFogesandAlMurphyFromtheauthorofBathroomBoogieandKitchenDisco,VegPatchPartyfollowsthelivesofpeas,carrots,potatoes,leeks,andcauliflowersastheybreakoutoftheearthwhennooneislookingtosetupVegStock–acolourfulmusicfestivalfeaturing‘TheChips’,‘ThePumpkins’and‘TheRedHotChillis’and‘DJBrusselSprout’.Theartworkisalmostasloudasthemusic,partyingandthunder&lightningstoryline.Thiswilldefinitelyappealtofestival-lovingparents,andchildrenunderfivewilllovetheanarchicrhymingstoryline. HoneyforYouHoneyforMe:AFirstBookofNurseryRhymesbyMichaelRosenandChrisRiddellAwonderfulcollectionofcatchynurseryrhymestoreadandsharewithyoungerchildren.Oneverypagetherearesoundstoexplore,clevertypographyanduseofcolour,vibrantillustrationstoexamine,andfunlanguagethatchildrenwillremember,mimicandusetodeveloptheirownwordplay.Highlyrecommended. TheNighttheReindeerSavedChristmasbyRajKaurKhairaReindeerSavedChristmasbyRajKaurKhairaAlivelyandfunnyChristmasadventurewithadiverserangeofcharacters.WhenSanta’ssleighsuffersrocketfailure,MrsClaushasacleveridea,andsoonenoughallthecreaturesoftheNorthPolelendahandtohelp.Withexpressiveanddetailedillustrations,thisisalovelyChristmasbedtimestorytosharewithchildrenunder5. Booksforbedtime–childrenaged5+ TheNightKnightsbyGideonSterer.Astoryaboutchivalrousknightswhoprotectchildrenfrommonsters.SilverbyWalterdelaMare.Adreamyandevocativepoemforaperfectday’send.PeaceAtLastbyJillMurphy.Noises,actions,voices,illustrations–possiblyyourchild’snextfavouritebedtimestory. WhileYou’reSleepingbyMickJacksonandJohnBroadleyWhileYou’reSleepingbyMickJacksonandJohnBroadley.Amesmerizingillustratedhardbackstorythatwillsweepyourchildintoanocturnalworld–exploringthelivesofpeoplewhoworkthroughthenight.Withacombinationofblackandwhitewoodcutstyledesignsandhighlyengagingcomic-bookillustrations,thisisagreatbooktoreadto5-9-year-olds. 5MinuteReallyTrueStoriesforBedtimebyBritannicaBooksAcrackingcollectionoftruestoriestoreadtoyourchildatbedtime.Thereare30fascinatinghighlyillustratedpiecesthatareidealtoshareorreadtochildrenwhopreferfactstofiction.Theseinclude:‘Remarkablehibernators’,‘Flymetothemoon’,‘Lullabiesaroundtheworld’,‘KingTut’sbeds’,and‘Thegreatsleepescape’.Highlyrecommended. FearlessFairyTalesbyKonnieHuqandJamesKayThesearebedtimestoriesforindependent-mindedchildren!17well-knowntaleshavebeenre-imaginedandlooselyintertwinedforthe2020s,includingTrumplestiltskin,afartingpresidentwholivesinahousefullofmirrors,Rap-Unzel–along-hairedtalentshowstarwithrhymes,andJackandthebaked-beanstalk.Thisbookisgreatfunandperfectbedtimereadingtosharewith7-11-year-olds. Can’tYouSleep,LittleBear?byMartinWaddell.Beautifullyillustrated,thisisamodernclassicandperfectattheendofalongday.TheLastNoo-NoobyJillMurphy.Funnyandreassuring–agoodbooktoreadtochildreninunfamiliarplaces.WheretheWildThingsArebyMauriceSendak.Aclassicstoryaboutovercomingfears.Greatforsharedreading. Toorderallthebooksinthislist,ortobulkorderclasssetsofbooks,clickhere. Howaboutacelebrityreadingabedtimestorytoyourchild?CBeebieshasacollectionoffreebedtimestoryvideoshere. FormoretoppicksandnewbookswhynotreadourBooksforEYFS,ourYear1readinglist,ourbooksforKS1orourBookofthemonthpage? Forevenmoresuggestionsandbooksforbedtime,seeourdailynewbookrecommendationsonourFacebookpageandourTwitterFeed. Emailnewslettersign-upShareonTwitterShareonFacebookShareonLinkedInPinIt AboutTomTolkien TomTolkienisanexperiencedteacherandeducationalconsultantwhotaughtfor20yearsinprimaryandsecondaryschools,includingWoodleighSchoolinNorthYorkshire,wherehewasHeadofEnglishandrana4000bookprepschoollibraryforpupilsaged3-13.Henowreviewsbooksforchildrenandteens.Socialprofiles:Twitter|Linkedin RelatedPosts:TheLittleThingbyNickCaveOntheMovePoemsAboutMigrationbyMichaelRosenThePrincessandthePeaillustratedbyEmmaMartinezWhenItRainsbyRassiNarikaChildren'sLiteratureBlogsEastertopicbooksforEYFS,KS1&KS2FollowTheSchoolReadingListKeepuptodatewithourlatestsocialmediapostsaboutreading,children'sbooksandliteracy.Twitter Facebook Instagram GoogleMyBusiness Linkedin Pinterest Vimeo Youtube AffiliatestatementAsanAmazonAssociateschoolreadinglist.co.ukearnsfromqualifyingpurchases.Additionally,thissitemayreceiveacommissionifyoudecidetopurchaseamagazineoranonlinecourse.