Best Children's Bedtime Stories: the Old & the New Classics

I love cuddling in bed with my children and reading stories before they drift off to sleep. Our bedtime routine always ends with a story. It's the highlight of the night for them and for my husband and I. Sharing our love of books with our children has always been an important part of our parenting philosophy. Our children love to snuggle up next to us and hear what story we'll share with them next. Over the years, these books have become some of our favorite bedtime stories to share with our children. Some are old classics that our parents read to us, and some are new additions to the world of children's bedtime stories. Each is a special bedtime story to share with children in its own right.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd

This children's bedtime story is a classic, celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2005. I remember listening to my mother read it to my youngest sister, and know that she shared it with me when I was a young child as well. The simple words and illustrations tell the story of saying goodnight to a room and all the things in the room. The prose lends itself to a slow read, perfect for sharing with children before bedtime. We always end the story by telling our children, "And goodnight to you little girl." They love feeling like they are part of the story, too. This book will be one that's around for years to come, and we love that it's one that our parents shared with us, we're sharing with our children, and that they can in turn share with their children one day.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram

This story of a hare getting ready for bed has been around since 1994. Parent and child go back and forth discussing how much they love one another. This book is one of the newer bedtime classics to share with your children. Like Goodnight Moon, it lends itself to a quiet and slow read, perfect for settling down to sleep.

Pajama Time! by Sandra Boynton

My children adore this Boynton classic, first published in 2000. Boynton's characters get ready for bed in this sing-songy bedtime story. The perfect rhyme scheme makes this story a fun addition to your bedtime routine. We love this book as a companion to one of the other more quiet bedtime stories, as we tend to get into the story and end up singing and forgetting that we are getting ready for bed. Still though, this book is another destined to be a new bedtime classic.

Mommy's Best Kisses by Margaret Anastas and illustrated by Susan Winter

One of the newest classics in the bedtime story market, Mommy's Best Kisses was first published in 2003. The beautiful illustrations by Susan Winter are definitely a highlight of this bedtime story. The simple rhyming text tells the story of mommies kissing their animal babies before they head off to bed. The illustrations are also wonderful for pointing out and talking about the different animals and their babies, making it a good story for older children as well. Of all the children's books on the list, this one is actually my personal favorite.

Russell the Sheep by Rob Scotton

First published in 2005, Scotton's beautiful illustrations make this book another must-have bedtime story. Russell can't get to sleep, and you follow him on his quest to figure out how to get some shut eye. This book is perfect for preschool age children, and parents will find that they enjoy the story and surprise ending as much as their little ones.

Spending a few minutes before bed reading to children is an experience no parent should miss. This quality bonding time between parent and child is something that both can remember and cherish for years to come. These children's bedtime stories are just a few of the best options available. Whichever book you and your child decide to share before bed is destined to become your own bedtime classic.