All adults really need to hear is, “In the great green room, there was a telephone, and a red balloon, and a picture of—…” Chances are, they will remember Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, and illustrated by Clement Hurd. Treading through childhood memories, they catch a hint of that fabric softener that their mothers used to use especially for their bedding. They remember how much the stars in the windows looked like those designs on grandma’s highball glasses. But most of all, they recall the quiet and peaceful ending that this indispensible story provides.

We join Brown as she introduces us to a young bunny getting ready to go to sleep. In all honesty, this story is not unlike a trick many parents know to get restless children to go to sleep: make them say “Goodnight” to everything in the room. It’s a surprisingly effective method and not an unappreciated one. Brown, however, has given readers an unforgettable litany of objects ranging from the anachronistic, to the silly, to the practical, to the childish.  Children are playfully introduced to these objects and then quietly encouraged to put them to rest for the evening. The “bowl full of mush,” the “young mouse,” and the “quiet old lady who was whispering ‘hush,’” all random enough objects on their own, fit perfectly into the pages of this classic read.

Parents will love this book more for nostalgic reasons (if they are really honest) than for many others, but the book does present parents with a practical “wind down” story before nap or bedtime. The tone and cadence have a calming effect, but the images and words engage young eyes and ears to participate in the act of ending a day. The simple movement from the introduction of objects to the act of putting those objects to rest for the night mirrors the way in which many parents train their children to prepare for sleep. Considering that the book was originally written in 1947, the content (except in a few cases) remains surprisingly current.

Children won’t mind their parents indulging in a little nostalgia from time to time even if they cannot read the text themselves, because the pictures have a few hidden surprises. In the background there are several references to another of Brown’s popular children’s stories, Runaway Bunny. The familiarity with images like the cow jumping over the moon, or the three little bears, anchors a story that children can tell their parents love. And even when they become aware that they are being tricked into quieting down for the evening, they won’t mind it as long as they can say “Goodnight” along with the parent reading the story.

Goodnight Moon is the perfect way to end your child’s day. The words of the text, which beg the use of a quiet, playful voice, together with iconic images and colors ingrained now in four generations of readers provide a wonderful reading experience at bedtime or in the middle of the afternoon. This author recommends reading it with your kids tucked firmly under your arms, perhaps with a special blanket. For children aged as early as you like to older than you’d care to admit.