The Night Gardener, by Fan Brothers, is a brilliantly done, large-sized, picture book. Will wakes up finding a beautifully sculptured topiary.  Day after day, another topiary is found around town, with each new bit of beauty more and more the dull muted colors come alive. Will begins to work with the mysterious gardener and as he learns his craft his town becomes not so gray anymore but alive with life and color. I read this book over and over trying to take in all the changes from page to page, seeing something new each time.

Don’t Want to Go! by master storyteller, Shirley Hughes, is the quintessential story with words every parent hears on a daily basis. “I don’t want to…”  Lily doesn’t wait to go to the babysitter but finds out she can have fun. The illustrations tell the story even without the text.

Time for Bed, Fred! by Yasmeen Ismail is a fun story about bedtime. This is a book for dog-lovers and nondog-lovers alike. The text flows with a Candance and rhythm and rhymes. Best for maybe 2-year-olds.

Goodnight World by Debi Gliori is a soft, bedtime story where not only the child and parent say goodnight, but even planets, animals, and even the clouds. I pulled my blanket a little closer while reading this story.