b is for bedtime

"A is Awake, how I feel after dinner." Reading this first line in B is for Bedtime (a Kane Miller book by Margaret Hamilton and Anna Pignataro), I could tell this was going to be a fun book to read with toddlers. From the first page - the little girl wide awake, zooming around on a little cart - to the last page, where she is tucked into bed and sleeping soundly, this is an alphabet book that any parent can relate to! 

There are a few sweet elements that make this book feel special. For one, the watercolor illustrations turn a typical bedtime routine into a serene, heartfelt process - they make you want to cuddle up on the couch with your little one, dimming the lights to get in that peaceful bedtime mindset. And if you're of an artistic persuasion, you'll love the subtle integration of real textures - polka dotted cloth, cut pieces of paper, hints of plaid - that add depth to the watercolor.

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Another fun element is the little girl's dog, who echoes the alphabet throughout the process. Although "Y" is for Yawn, you also see the little dog wagging his tail at a toy yacht. While the little girl's mom is singing a Lullaby for L, the little dog is watching leaves fall.

​The dog's wordless participation adds another layer of letter integration for you to talk about with your little kiddos as you read. And while the dog also starts out wide awake ("D is my Dog, who's not sleepy at all"), on the last page of the book, we see that the little dog is also fast asleep.

It's that book for bedtime that can't help but relax both you and your wide awake little ones.

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Book benefits:

• Illustrations and text reinforce letters in two simple ways
• Darling mixed media illustrations will entice you and your kiddo alike
• Hard cover and card stock pages will hold up to many, many readings

Buy B is for Bedtime here! (hardcover, $11.99)