Goodnight Grandchild
A goodnight book written with the grandparent in mind.
Goodnight Grandchild
A goodnight book written with the grandparent in mind.
Written by Michelle Robinson
Illustrated by Nick East
Sourcebooks Wonderland | Board book | $8.99
Ages 1-4
Review by Heidi Frankel
Goodnight Grandchild is the newest bedtime book from Michelle Robinson and Nick East, and it is special. Their Goodnight series has been sending little ones off to sleep for years with Goodnight Tractor, Goodnight Digger, and Goodnight Spaceman. But where those books say goodnight to trucks and rockets, this one says goodnight to your grandchild.
The story starts at a sleepover and moves toward bed, and when you think you’re heading for lights out, turn the page and the day starts over. There’s baking, hide-and-seek, a walk in the woods, a secret whispered into Grandma’s ear. It’s everything the time together holds, all of it promised for tomorrow, and then the story comes home to pajamas and a tucked-in blanket. Children get to fall asleep looking forward to something. That’s a real gift, and it’s why you’ll reach for this one every time they’re with you.
Michelle Robinson writes in beautiful rhyme that begs to be read out loud. The lines are short and gentle. The pace picks up with playtime and settles again as the day winds down, so without quite noticing, your own voice naturally gets softer, and the small body against you gets heavier.
One spread deserves special mention. The children hold up a drawing they’ve made, and the words are “Side by side or far apart, you are always in my heart.” If you live far away, buy one for your house and one for theirs.
Nick East’s illustrations are full of sweetness and warmth; every page is packed with little things worth stopping to point at. That’s half the pleasure of reading it together: when a child pipes up to tell you what they see and suddenly you’re not reading a book anymore, you’re having a conversation. You’re connecting at day’s end.
And then there’s the last page. Grandma and Grandpa are looking in through a crack in the bedroom door at two sleeping grandchildren, and the words are “Goodnight, Grandchild, I love you.” Anyone who has ever stood in that doorway will recognize the feeling exactly. Robinson and East got it right.
Keep a copy of Goodnight Grandchild at your house. Read it with your grandchildren, however many are in your lap, and it becomes the thing you do together at the end of a day.
Best for ages 1 to 4, and a lovely bedtime book to give a new grandparent.
Goodnight Grandchild questions
What age is Goodnight Grandchild best for?
Ages 1 to 4. The rhyme is simple enough for babies and toddlers, and the illustrations hold up for preschoolers who want to point at things and talk.
Is Goodnight Grandchild part of a series?
Yes. It joins Michelle Robinson and Nick East’s Goodnight series, which includes Goodnight Tractor, Goodnight Digger, and Goodnight Spaceman.
More for grandparents: Science Says Babysitting Your Grandkids Is Good for Your Brain · Mini Pizza Bagels That Even Grownups Crave
fyi50+ received a review copy of Goodnight Grandchild from Sourcebooks. All opinions are our own.
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