We all have our moments of thoughts run amok, children and adults alike. It's not uncommon for our worries and anxieties to crop up full force right as we're trying to fall asleep ... and that's where this book comes in, with understanding and an insightful "aha" moment.
A child lies in bed, eyes wide and fearful, concerned that "I'm never going to fall asleep" because of their jumpy thoughts and the scary things they see when they close their eyes: everything from giant robot sharks to a dentist to "the whole world [popping] into a piece of popcorn." Wanting to stop these thoughts, they experiment with tried-and-true strategies like thinking of cheerful things or of people they love ... to no avail. It's only when they realize that the thoughts are only in their head, and turn their attention instead to everything being okay in the moment, that they're able to sleep.
Illustrator James Serafino does a convincing job with scary dentist pictures, overflowing tarantulas, and the like. Adorably, he has the child stick out their tongue at the thoughts near the end, causing the whole crowd of scary monsters to flee.
Max Greenfield is an American actor and author of several illustrated children’s books. Good Night Thoughts is his latest and was featured at the 2024 National Book Festival. We trust that it will bring some peace of heart not only to children ages three to seven but also to some of the grown-ups in their lives who read it to them as a bedtime story.
