How Does Sleep Come?

First off, today is Sunday and Sunday has been for my Teachers Write posts all summer...it feels weird to not be talking about my writing! Well, I just talked about writing but this isn't technically a Teachers Write post. I am still writing though and if you want to chime in about your writing, feel free!

Even though this isn't a Teachers Write post, I thought I would still talk about writing. Recently, I received How Does Sleep Come? by Jeanne C. Blackmore. It was sent to me from Sourcebooks and will be published on September 1st, 2012. It is a sweet book about a mother telling her son about everything that happens that helps him fall asleep. 

Reading this book reminded me of my favorite bedtime stories that I read with my kiddos. I love the books that just exude a mood of calmness. I can't help but slow down as the pages go on and my voice gets quieter and quieter, as well.

Good Night, Gorilla is a huge favorite in our house. Both of my kids adored this book. This is a wordless picture book about a mischievous gorilla. It gets a bit exciting in the middle but by the end everyone is quiet and snuggled up.

When my oldest son was one, we did the summer program at our library and after he went in all the times that he needed to go in, he got Won't You Be My Hugaroo? by Joanne Ryder as a reward. This is a sweet book about all the different kinds of hugs you would give and get for different situations. It's super sweet.

A Book of Sleep is one of my favorite picture books. There are some books I wish I could just curl up and cuddle inside of its pages and A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na is definitely one of them. It's a sweet story about animals sleeping at night - except for the owl, of course - and the illustrations are wonderful.  If you haven't read this book, please go look for it. It's the perfect book for a baby shower and it is even available as a board book!

I'm positive this is a book most people know and cherish. I remember my parents reading Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown to me when I was little and I love reading it to my own kids. They love especially saying "Hush" for the little old lady when we get to her pages. For me, this is the ultimate bedtime book and the perfect example of mood in a picture book.

These books are all excellent books but I have never read them with students and they wouldn't have been books I would have been likely to read with students...until I received How Does Sleep Come? and I realized how all of these books together would make for a great showing of how books carry a tone or mood. I love how the word choice and the topics and the illustrations all come together to make these such soothing stories to share before bedtime. It would actually be fun to read these with students and discuss how the author and illustrator made them so calming.

What other books would you add to my relaxing bedtime list? 

Is one of these here a favorite of yours?

Or what is your favorite mentor text for mood and tone?