How Animals Say Goodnight: A Sweet Going to Bed Book about Animal Sleep Habits

Written by Esther Pia Cordova

Illustrated by Anastasiya Provozina

What a beautiful rhyming picture book!

The author presents bright, colorful illustrations of different animals as they prepare to rest. I learned a lot from this book. Did you know that giraffes sleep only twenty minutes a day? When a snail closes its eyes, it can sleep for three years. Ducks sleep in rows and have a system to protect each other from danger.

This book is a good choice for a simple bedtime story or read-aloud for toddlers or preschoolers. It contains lots of interesting information about animals for older children who may want to do additional research.

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Parenting Book & Children’s Book DUO

Written by Jenny Loveless

Edited by Jean Oggins

Illustrated by Denis Prouix

I downloaded this kindle book because I was intrigued by the unique combination of parenting advice with a children’s book. This is the children’s book author’s first attempt at writing nonfiction. The children’s book Ducky Duck Doesn’t want to be a Duck is a reinforcement of the principles explained in the parenting tips. In fact, a parent might want to use this book as a trial run in employing the techniques acquired in the first book.

Loveless is the parent of three girls. Like most parents she has made mistakes. She did lots of research for the book which is also interspersed with her own parenting opinions. The author indicates which come from “experts” and which are her own. As any parent knows, there is no course that prepares you to become a parent. Lots of our learning comes from trial and error. Loveless lists some things that all of us know: children need to be read to, children need attention, children need enough sleep, children need proper nutrition, and children need definite rules. But the author tells us how to best apply our knowledge to help children know themselves better and grow into their own selves.

I like the way Loveless encourages parents to focus on the good in other people and to become involved in good deeds. She urges parents to teach children to examine their self image and to find ways to keep that image a positive one developing self esteem. Teach them that happiness is a choice. Allow them to try new things and perhaps sometimes fail at them so that they can learn about themselves in the process. In setting the rules, explain the reasons for your decisions so that as they grow, they might begin to understand the reasons behind our choices. I especially liked her tip to make a child feel as if the whole world lights up when he enters the room. Loveless does not mean that the child should feel as if he is the center of the universe, but he should know that the parent will always be there as a constant support.

Switching to the children’s story, Ducky Duck decides one day he no longer wants to be a duck. His mother lets him make his own decisions. First he wants to be a bunny, but when he plays hide and seek, his bill sticks out so that Ducky is easily found. When he returns home to go swimming with the family, his mother points out that bunnies don’t swim. Next day he wants to be a beaver so he again waddles off in search of adventure. Upon his return, he gets no supper because beavers don’t eat fish. Then he becomes a deer, who encounters difficulty because he cannot leap. Mother Duck permits him to explore until he finally realizes that it is a duck he wants to be. She provides encouragement and love no matter what he decides modeling the behavior of a loving human parent.

Loveless does not reinvent the wheel. She presents a parenting model that is easy to read and thoughtfully put together. Children of all ages will enjoy their beautifully illustrated story that inspires and motivates, while parents will appreciate the tips and reminders in the parent guide.

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