Our Favorite Bedtime Books

My kiddo loves books! And he always has. Even as a baby, he'd reach for books before toys. These days, he's found a love for toys, but he still craves stories.
Today I thought I'd share our favorite bedtime books. Not only does my toddler love these books, but I do too. These stories have a common bedtime theme and help calm my toddler, easing him into our night routine. So, in no particular order:

Goodnight Moon

This is an oldie but goodie! My kiddo has this one memorized and loves to say "hush" right along with the mama bunny. When I read it, I like to start out at an average volume, and I get quieter and quieter as we make our way to the end of the book. It's a very calming story.

Nighty Night, Little Green Monster

This book was gifted to us by my sister. She always picks out great books for her nephew (she's a teacher, so she's an expert). This one focuses on a cute little monster and his facial features, eventually saying "nighty night" to the features. The book has cut-outs in the pages, and my kiddo loves to touch them and poke at them.

Good Night Dinosaur

This is a relatively new book for us. My husband bought it as a gift for my kiddo when he was away on a business trip. Like most kids, my toddler loves dinosaurs and is going through a big phase where he wants all things dinosaur. This book is perfect for him because it names a bunch of dinosaurs (and facts about them) while saying good morning, good afternoon and "good night" to them. This is definitely a good book for learning about these prehistoric creatures.

When Mermaids Sleep

This is my favorite of all of these. It wasn't a book we read when my toddler was little... he just wasn't as interested in it. But as he has gotten older, he now loves it. It journeys through a land with mythical creatures as they fall asleep. Not only is the story beautiful but the images are breathtaking. I highly recommend this book!

Little Owl's 123

This book is not only cute but beautiful. The images are folky and set on a black background. It tells of an owl flying through a night sky, visiting his forest friends. One of the great things about this book is that it helped my toddler learn to count to ten.

Of course, we have many books that we love to read, but these five are favorites that we pick up and read over again. What are your favorites? I'd love to hear some recommendations from you in the comments below.