A baby orang utan is sleepy and it’s time for bed, but not before saying ‘Good night, me,’ from head to toe. This captivating, unique gift book celebrates that precious moment when a parent tucks a child into bed at the end of the day.

For a fun and relaxing bedtime read for the very young or young at heart, you can’t beat Goodnight, Me. As any parent knows, bedtime can be tricky. Although we try to make it a quick, painless end to the day, most children are experts at stretching bedtime rituals. In this cute yet simple book, our main character, an anthropomorphized primate, makes the most of those few extra moments before sleep takes hold.

How Goodnight, Me came to be…

One night, instead of reading a story to my son Felix, he asked if I would tell him one from my mouth.  I couldn’t think of a thing. Nothing.  So I said, ‘Say “goodnight to your feet.”‘  which he did.  

So I said, ‘Say “goodnight to your knees.”‘ And he did that, too.  
Quickly, the two of us said goodnight to the rest of his body, kisses here and hugs there and I raced off to a quiet spot and wrote what would become one of my favourite books. 

What you’ve had to say about Goodnight, Me

As in the classic favorite Goodnight, Moon, our little friend delays bedtime. But instead of saying goodnight to the things in the room, he/she takes it up a notch by wishing goodnight to him/herself. Starting with the feet (that run around all day) and moving to other regions of the body, relaxation is taken to a whole new level. Parents will appreciate the short, simple text, while children will delight in the soothing yet amusing illustrations.

This precocious orangutan is depicted in typical childlike poses. From thumb-sucking to hiding under the covers, even the youngest child can relate. Done in soothing shades of purples and blues, the fantastic imagery reflects a calming bedroom scene.

When all is said and done and the kids are tucked in tight, don’t be surprised if you find yourself echoing the book’s sentiment just before your own head hits the pillow: “Goodnight, Me.”

 Niki Schoenfeldt/2008 for curled up with a good kid’s book    www.curledupkids.com/

Sylvia Peters

Canada

This is terrific. As good as Goodnight Moon- maybe better, and I know that’s a big thing to say. But my kids love it, even the eight year old. It’s a must have for kids who a wrigglers at bedtime.

Megan Cornall

Canada

This is such a sweet book about a little monkey saying goodnight to his body. The art work is also adorable. A wonderful buy, as far as I am concerned.

The monkey says goodnight to every part of his body in this book until he goes to sleep. Alexander loves this book, even Nicky sat still to look at this one as we read it. Very sweet illustrations, plus A could relate to the picture where the monkey is sucking his thumb. (  )

  Barbara Hyman from Sydney, Australia

Changed my life…

This book really has changed our lives. Every night we read our little girl three books, but after the last book she always wanted another. Then we found Goodnight, Me- it is the PERFECT last book before bedtime because it gets her ready for sleep. Andrew Daddo writes for older kids as well, but this is his best book. He should do more picture books. The drawings are gorgeous.

Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

This delightful book has a quiet cadence similar to Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon (HarperCollins, 1947) as a child winds down from a busy day. After being tucked in by a loving parent, a young orangutan lies in bed and bids a loving goodnight to each body part: “Goodnight, feet. Thanks for running me around today” and “Legs, get some rest. We’ve got a lot of jumping to do tomorrow.” After a kiss on the forehead from the parent, the youngster heads off to sleep: “Goodnight, me. See you in the morning.” Using a mix of pencil, acrylic paints, and watercolors, Quay has created uncluttered spreads that focus on the highlighted body parts. The colors are as soothing as the gentle text: soft purple backgrounds, muted white bedding, and a warm shade of orange for the orangutan. The protagonist’s face is expressive and childlike. Sure to ease tired readers toward sleep, this offering is perfect for bedtime or pajama storytimes.—