The Not So Obligatory Blog

In the great green room, there was a telephone. And a red balloon, and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon.

Tied with “Where the Wild Things Are,” I find “Goodnight Moon” to be one of the greatest children’s books of all time.

I love these books for the way their words sing and their pages dance with simple, yet interesting pictures. In “Goodnight Moon,” the contrast between black and white pages for single objects — like the comb, the brush and the bowl full of mush — and bright colors on pages that show the bedroom with all objects in view is a brilliant tactic for catching children’s attention.

If you follow our blog regularly, you know that I recently gave birth to twins — one boy and one girl. (If you don’t, skip down a few posts — Bill Cox wrote a great one about our twinning ability at KSD.) I am already blessed with a 5-year-old. And he is responsible for my memorization of this beautiful book.

Matthew was just 18 months old when I read “Goodnight Moon” to him for the first time. It soon became a nightly requirement. He was at that fun stage (aren’t they all fun stages?) of learning to put together sentences. He always listened intently, flipping the big cardboard pages with me until we got to the part where the quiet old lady whispers “hush.” That line he mimicked with enthusiasm.

Our book went to the shelf at about age 3 and was replaced with Shel Silverstein diddys, superhero dramas and tales of a crazy monkey named George. Its spine is worn and the page donning the opening line scribbled with green crayon — Matthew’s very creative attempt to show me he was learning his colors.

Though Matthew still gets a story every night, I don’t get to do the honors as much anymore. My husband often pinch-hits while I feed hungry babes. But one night not too long after John Parker and Piper were born, Matthew came out of his room with his favorite book in hand and suggested we read it as a group.

I was tickled. I opened that tattered book and read in my best preschool mom voice. Though they offer no expression, experts say you should read to babies no matter how young they are. Matthew and I pretended the dynamic duo was taking in every word.

I hope that book holds out until the twins are toddlers. If not, I’ll buy another one. There’s something so calming in this book’s simple message. If you have young kids or grandkids and a copy of the Margaret Wise Brown classic, take it out and read it tonight. Enjoy excellence in children’s literature.

Goodnight stars, goodnight air. Goodnight noises everywhere.