Bedtime can sometimes be a struggle. From the very beginning my daughter has had a difficult time sleeping. We read together every night before bed, so I am always on the lookout for great bedtime books. I previously posted about our Two Book Bedtime Routine, which includes a relaxing book meant to help her drift to sleep. This list of bedtime books are great options for winding down at the end of the day and helping to end the bedtime battle.

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Soothing Bedtime Books Backed By Science

Olive the Sheep Can’t Sleep* was written by Clementina Almeida and illustrated by Ana Camila Silva. This calming story follows a little sheep named Olive as her mother gives her strategies to help her fall asleep. The strategies that her mother uses are backed by science and can be used by kids and adults to help them with their bedtime struggles. The story and illustrations are calming and peaceful, and the text includes tips for parents to use with their children while they are reading it. This has become one of my daughter’s favorites, and I find myself using the strategies also.

Check out the bedtime routine that we started using inspired by this book!

The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep was written by Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin. This book uses distinctive language patterns to tell the story of a little rabbit who has trouble falling asleep. So his mother takes him on a journey to help him learn how to fall asleep. The book starts with instructions for parents, teaching them how to read the story effectively. The text is wordy and may take a couple of attempts to read correctly, but lots of parents swear by the results.

Books about Bedtime with Parents

Sweet Dreaming* was written by Julia Rawlinson and illustrated by Nicole Wong. This sweet story follows a young girl named Molly and her mother while they struggle with bedtime. When Molly has trouble falling asleep, her mother comes up with simple stories with calming imagery to help relax her. Molly continues interrupting the stories and changing them, leading her mother to start another. The illustrations are colorful and calming, and the descriptive text will lull young ones into a restful state. Parents and kids will both enjoy the sweet and funny ending, and may also find it familiar!

How to Put Your Parents to Bed was written by Mylisa Larsen and illustrated by Babette Cole. This fun role-reversal story follows a young girl who is tasked with putting her parents to bed. She struggles with wrangling them into their pajamas while also dealing with their constant delay tactics. The illustrations are funny, showing parents acting out in ways similar to most kids at bedtime. Kids and parents will both appreciate the humor in the story, and may also recognize some of their own bedtime struggles.

Books to Battle the Fear of Being Alone

The Night Knights* was written by Gideon Sterer and illustrated by Cory Godbey. This clever story confronts the fear of nighttime with a group of strong knights meant to guard us in the dark. The comforting text explains to the reader that there is nothing to fear in the bumps, thuds, and shadows of the night, because the army of Night Knights stands at the ready. The illustrations are dark and beautiful, using deep blues and purples to show the knights standing guard in the shadows.

Llama Llama Red Pajama was written and illustrated by Anna Dewdney. The story of Llama Llama and his mama is a popular one, because so many of us face the same conversation at bedtime. When the little llama is left alone to go to bed, he starts calling out to his mother. He asks for a drink, he stomps and shouts, and he starts to worry that she has disappeared. When Mama Llama does come to his room, she has a conversation with him about being patient, and reminds him that he is never really alone. The sweet rhyming text and cute illustrations make this a soothing book for bedtime, and the rhyming refrain reminds kids that their parents are always near.

Yoga Based Bedtime Books

Sleepy Little Yoga: A Toddler’s Sleepy Book of Yoga was written by Rebecca Whitford and illustrated by Martina Selway. This cute book pairs simple yoga poses with animals to help kids through a night time yoga sequence. The illustrations depict young kids doing a yoga pose, paired with an image of an animal doing a similar motion. The text encourages kids to act out the actions of the animals while in the pose. The book also includes tips and information for parents to use in order to help their kids with the sequence.

Good Night Yoga: A Pose-by-Pose Bedtime Story was written by Mariam Gates and illustrated by Sarah Jane Hinder. This beautifully illustrated book uses lyrical text and colorful illustrations to walk the reader through a peaceful bedtime yoga routine. The larger text on the page explores the changes in nature as night begins to fall, while the smaller text in the illustrations offers helpful guidance for readers attempting the poses on the page. The illustrations show young kids performing the yoga sequence, highlighted by peaceful nature scenes and vivid colors.

Check out more books on yoga for kids here!

Some More of Our Favorite Bedtime Books

Good Night, Forest* was written by Denise Brennan-Nelson and illustrated by Marco Bucci. This beautifully illustrated stroll through the forest introduces the reader to a variety of adorable animals as they greet the day and settle in for the night. The illustrations are colorful and vibrant, while the rhyming text flows gently, lulling kids into sleep.

Bear Snores On was written by Karma Wilson and illustrated by Jane Chapman. This story follows a group of woodland creatures as they gather in a bear’s den during a cold winter night. As the animals cook and party in the warm cave, the bear continues to sleep soundly. When he is awakened, he is upset that he missed all of the fun. This book is a great one for reading at bedtime because the rhyming text flows brilliantly from page to page. The illustrations are soft and beautiful, encouraging kids to want to snuggle up in the warm den themselves.

River Rose and the Magical Lullaby was written by Kelly Clarkson and illustrated by Laura Hughes. This story, written for the singer’s daughter, follows little River Rose as she embarks on a nighttime adventure to the zoo. When she has trouble falling asleep, her mother sings her their special lullaby. After she is awakened by a magical bunch of balloons outside her window, she decides to gather up her dog, and take the balloons on an adventure. The rhyming text is paired with fun illustrations full of adorable animals doing hilarious things. The message of the story reminds kids that it’s important to let a fun day end with a peaceful night. Click here to see the fun activities that we paired with this book!

Bonus Bedtime Book for the Truly Stubborn

Don’t Blink! was written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by David Roberts. For fans of interactive books, this fun bedtime book just may help with the bedtime struggle. The owl in this story interacts with the readers, telling them that they can stay up past their bedtime if they can avoid getting to the end of the book. However, the only rule is that they have to turn a page every time that they blink. The illustrations are simple, focusing mainly on the adorable owl character and the large text on the page. Kids will love trying to defeat the book, and may just start to get sleepy in the process.

Do you have any favorite bedtime books in your family? Share in the comments below!

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