25 Dreamy Kids Bedtime Books to Tuck Into

One of the best picture books of all time, this quintessential bedtime story by Margaret Wise Brown is a must for every young child's library. The combination of the peaceful rhythm of the words and restful illustrations signal the end of the day like no other.

Your mischief-making little one might just see something of himself in free-spirited Max (and get lost in the beautiful and imaginative illustrations) as he embarks upon an adventure filled with wild rumpus and meets some unforgettable creatures.

A young llama experiences separation anxiety at bedtime, leading to a dramatic outburst until his mother reassures him. It's a rhyming tale that addresses common childhood fears about being alone at night.

Katie G. said:  This is a classic tale of a baby needing the comfort of his mama. This is the first book in the rhyming series by Anna Dewdney which follows the adventures and challenges of baby llama and his mama.

A soothing bedtime story that follows various construction vehicles as they wind down after a busy day and prepare for sleep. Through gentle rhymes and warm illustrations, the book lulls young readers into a peaceful slumber alongside the hardworking trucks.

Erynn said:  This gorgeously illustrated book is a must-have for every child who loves their Tonka toys and is obsessed with machines of any sort! An ideal going-to-bed book, because the machines are settling down for the night too.

This wordless bedtime story tells the tale through delightful illustrations of a gorilla who follows the zookeeper home -- and takes the whole zoo with him! You can "read" this with your babies for the pictures at first, but it turns into a great chance for an older child to explain what's going on without the use of text.

A sleepy and melodic rhythm, paired with a silly story and adorable animal illustrations, make this one of the best bedtime books for kids.

A brilliantly illustrated bedtime book that shows that good little dinosaurs go right to bed. Your little dinosaurs may also like other books in this series!

Alexandra F. said:  We love this one at our house, and the illustrations are the best. We spend just as much time naming all the different kinds of dinosaurs pictured in the front/back covers as we do reading (and rereading) the story!

A lonely bear crawls into a cave to curl up for a cold winter nap. One-by-one, different animals and birds discover his cave and wander in to escape the cold. While the animals have a party, the bear snores on.

Vanessa M. said:  The rhyming text in this book is really melodic and makes it a fun book to read out loud. It is one of those books that my kids ask me to read over and over and yet I'm not sick of reading it!

A (very) short and sweet bedtime story about different animal parents putting their babies to sleep.

Jodi Hoppe Wresh said:  A good bedtime story that my kids enjoyed.

A young owl explores the wonders of the nighttime world, experiencing the reverse of a typical day, before finally settling into his cozy nest. It's a gentle and soothing story perfect for bedtime, highlighting the beauty of the night.

Amy S. said:  A beautiful and uniquely illustrated bedtime tale about a little owl and his nocturnal adventures. The story highlights the creatures and activities of the forest at night. The swift pacing and sharp images are perfect for toddlers. I always appreciate a bedtime book that has just the right amount of words on the page—enough to make the language and story rich, but not so many that it bogs down the reading as the kids are dozing off. This book hits that sweet spot. The companion book, Little Owl’s Day, is pretty perfect as well.

Alexandra F. said:  My 4-year-old loves all the Frog and Toad books, and they are my favorite books to read aloud to him. We both think Toad is hilarious in all his grumpiness, and his friendship with Frog and the simple adventures they share together always worth reading about. They've been our go-to bedtime stories for the last year or so because they are long enough and familiar enough at this point that my little guy always nods off after 2 or 3 short stories.

Pay attention to the illustrations in this whimsical rhyming bedtime story, because you'll discover something new each night you read it.

The perfect touch-and-feel book for bedtime, an owl wakes up and travels around the farm to see who's getting ready for bed.

A soothing bedtime book with enchanting illustrations that invites children to imagine the fantastical journeys their dreams might take them on, guided by magical animal companions.

The perfect gentle bedtime read for train-loving kids, a freight train circles around a child's bedroom with its boxcars full of fun toys and eventually arrives at the station pretty sleepy and ready for bed.

Shila said:  This was one of our favorite bedtime story books for our kids when they were younger - especially because they loved playing with trains so much. It's written in rhyme and simple for kids to memorize - finishing every other line with a cheery, "chugga- chugga woo-woooo!"