Sleep is supposed to be the quiet part of childhood, which is news to anyone who has met a child at 8:07 p.m. On these pages, pajamas become formalwear, bedrooms grow forests, nightmares need outwitting, and dreams arrive by tiger, train, telephone, or giant.
Drawing from Bookroo’s collection of 1,858 bedtime and dream books, our editors chose stories for winding down, laughing through one last delay, talking about nighttime fears, and following the imagination after the lights go out. Start with our 12 favorites, then browse the board, picture, and chapter-book shelves by age.
Sent to bed without supper, Max sails from his bedroom into a kingdom of Wild Things — and then chooses home.
A little bunny says goodnight to everything in the great green room as light, sound, and language grow quiet.
A gorilla pockets the zookeeper’s keys and quietly leads the whole zoo home behind him.
A giant who bottles dreams carries Sophie away, then needs her help to stop the child-eating giants.
A snoring granny, a dreaming child, and a tower of drowsy animals are no match for one wakeful flea.
A wide-awake child asks whether everything sleeps and finds her own way to rest like a tiger.
A bear, fox, narwhal, and other dream animals carry sleeping children into lavish nighttime adventures.
The Pigeon has water, television, educational plans, and every other excuse not to go to sleep.
A traveling father calls home each night and tells one coin’s worth of story before the pay phone cuts him off.
A loyal monster scares away Tiger’s bad dreams until one nightmare becomes too large to face alone.
One missing bonnet sends a little girl through the house and every member of her family’s nighttime hair routine.
From antelope to zebra, an alphabetical procession of animals settles into sleep.
Gentle rhythms, familiar routines, sleepy animals, and first dream journeys for babies and toddlers ages 0–3.
Discover the boundless love that surpasses all others.
Little Owl wants to sleep early, but his parents insist on late-night play.
Discover playful animal goodbyes with lift-the-flap fun.
A bedtime tale of gratitude and joy shared between a mother bear and her cub.
Join Baby Bear on a colorful forest adventure.
A playful group of animals wind down for bedtime with baths and brushes.
Animals dance in pajamas before bedtime. Join the fun!
Discover the rhythm of day and night as creatures awaken and rest.
A sleepless sheep seeks the secret to slumber.
Discover the charming daily rituals of a rabbit family through the seasons.
Four mischievous mice resist bedtime, creating a playful nighttime adventure.
Kitten resists naptime, exploring a world of opposites.
Bedtime stalling, goodnight rituals, wild dream worlds, and reassuring answers to nighttime worries for ages 3–8.
Seven mouse boys get a bedtime story each from their Papa.
A child's nighttime adventures begin when the lights go out.
A pig's bedtime is disrupted by noisy farm animals. Can she find peace to sleep?
A boy befriends a lost blue whale and embarks on a journey to return him home.
Nature's elements weave a bedtime tale of calm and chaos.
A group of books disappear at night in the town of Burrow Down, leading to a mysterious figure being discovered,
Embark on a dreamy journey to a cozy bedtime.
A wooden boy struggles to find his place in a world where his worth is determined by the stickers given to him by his peers.
Two children embark on a magical night journey led by a mysterious cat.
A king bans darkness, but sleepless citizens demand change. Can he face his fears?
A little bear's fear of the dark is soothed by a magical yarn connection.
A knight is sent on a quest to tame a dragon, but instead of fighting, he uses his love of reading to solve problems and make friends.
Longer bedtime read-alouds about bottled dreams, stories told after dark, and adventures that begin when the waking day ends — ages 6–12.
A lonely girl discovers a hidden garden with a mysterious key.
Children fly to Neverland, facing pirates and peril.
A cursed girl and a haunted boy uncover secrets in a mysterious southern town.
A prince and a pauper must trust each other to escape dangerous outlaws.
An unexpected movie role challenges a young girl's dreams and perseverance.
Discover unexpected joys in a life of routine through three enchanting tales.
Discover timeless fairy tales brought to life with stunning illustrations.
A part-angel faces trials testing his faith and powers in a fierce battle against dark forces.
A monster girl seeks a family in a human town, uncovering dark secrets.
A young baseball player faces challenges on and off the field, testing his dreams and friendships.
Discover how animals find their unique ways to dream.
A girl tumbles into a bizarre world of peculiar creatures.
