in ,

Which books do you read to your children at bedtime?

Bedtime Story
No doubt you heard Boris Johnson, Nick Clegg and Good Schools Guide expert Janette Wallis speak emphatically about the importance of reading bedtime stories to our children, and how even 10 minutes a day can transform their lives. (If not, click here to read the article!). Our house has books spilling out of every room, and our children love nothing more than to leaf through one of their favourite picture books, so it comes as a great surprise that this isn’t the norm.

We want to share our love of reading with other parents, and perhaps give them a little inspiration about what to read. Can you help by telling us your favourites?

Keep an eye on our Books and Music category as well – our visiting BookWorm from Clover Hill Book Reviews writes a regular feature previewing brand new children’s books by talented new authors and illustrators, including lovely bedtime stories like David Bedford’s Bouncy Bouncy Bedtime.

Best places to buy children’s books to read at bedtime

We wholeheartedly recommend the Oxfam Second-hand Bookstore. They have a great selection of second-hand books, including some gorgeous children’s classics. The money you spend in their online second-hand book store will go towards Oxfam’s campaigns to fight poverty around the world, and to help other families.

If you are looking for new releases or the best deals online, The Book People website has some deals which are simply too good to be true, with whole collections of top selling children’s books for a fiver at times.

This article was originally run in conjunction with a competition to win a bedtime book from Egmont, in case you’re wondering about some of the comments!

Image courtesy of Ernesto Andrade on Flickr

 

Written by Janis P.

43 Comments

  1. Anything by Roald Dahl but particularly The Witches or George’s Marvellous Bedtime – I find Dad’s enjoy reading these so it encourages them to get involved in bedtime!

  2. My 4 year old son loves any books on Thomas the Tank Engine/Fireman Sam/Postman Pat etc, plus we all love reading Julia Donaldson’s books

  3. The Magic Faraway Tree By Enid Blyton. is a fantastic story and i even still remember it being read to me as a child.I now pass it on so as the kids can have the same exciting bedtime story.

  4. #smallgirl is 4. Her current “fravourite” is The Princess and the Wizard by Julia Donaldson (all her books are great).

  5. #smallgirl now tells me her second fravourite is The Gruffalo (also Donaldson) and then The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Judith Kerr – Inc fab illustrations).

  6. My favourites are Ted Dewan’s Bing stories – fab illustrations reminiscent of 1950s prints, and they’re very cute and suitable for very small babies up to at least 4. Bing and Flop have great adventures with paint and picnics and getting dressed and #smallgirl adores them. Best of all, they are mercifully short!

  7. My children really enjoy “We’re Going on Bear Hunt” they enjoy the fact that lots of the lines repeat and they can join in with it. Its a book we can all enjoy and share together.

    “Room on the Broom” is another favourite. The rhyming sentences are a joy to read, the children love joining in and I must admit I love the story – it sends a great message.

  8. This book sounds lovely, just the story for my little nephew.

    My sons used to love the Little Bear stories…especially ‘Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear’.

  9. My 2 year old is a huge fan of Night Monkey, Day Monkey and Bedtime for Little Bears before bed.

  10. Meg and Mog books are my 4 year olds current favourites.
    Bouncy bouncy bedtime looks great!

  11. My daughter loves Parsnip and the runaway tractor, a short story about a lamb and other animals on a tractor – it’s a little people’s book, with flaps that open to discover more things. I’m not even allowed to put the book down at sleep time, it has to stay in bed with her!!

  12. Just love reading bedtime stories to my 3 year old Granddaughter, that is real bonding time, please would love to win

  13. My son is 21 months and at the moment the books that interest him the most are ones where he can point at pictures and say the names of what they are but I have also managed to read the whole of The Gruffalo’s Child without him trying to turn to the end or do something else!

  14. This book sounds fantastic, my little girl absolutely loves her books, she has amused us many times as we have caught her “reading” (she is 19 months) them to her teddies!! One of our favourites for bedtime is ‘Immi’ by Karin Littlewood. My daughter is called Imogen and Imy for short so that makes it extra special to us but that aside it is such a sweet story and the illustrations are beautiful. It is a nice calm story with dreamy pictures which makes it perfect for bedtime. xx

  15. our family favourite is Where the Wild Things Are. A fantastic little book – although how they made a movie out of it I’m still not sure 🙂

  16. My favourite bed time story is There is an octopus under my bed
    it is a bit funny but i am only nine years old.

    • Fun to read all your thoughts on good books and bedtime reads. Thanks for putting my book ‘Bouncy Bedtime’ up for a competition give-away – hope it sends some small folks to sleep. That was the plan!

      David

  17. I like what you guys tend to be up too. This kind of clever work and exposure!
    Keep up the fantastic works guys I’ve added you guys to our blogroll.

Win tickets to Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides (3D IMAX) plus The Captain Kidd Story! [closed]

Quentin Blake fan? Don’t miss this magical live show at London’s Polka Theatre!