Goodnight, Micah!

This is Micah's most favorite book. Truthfully, like most 2-year-olds, he likes any book for an average of 3.5 seconds, but this book holds his interest for a bit longer.

I never liked to read it to my girls. I'd rush through it, yawning, because I thought it was boring.

But now that I have a few years of reading aloud experience, this book is a true treasure. Besides, it has a magical calming effect of my zealous toddler.

The secret to reading this book? Read it s l o w l y and q u i e t l y. In a whispering voice, enunciate clearly and smoothly. Linger on all of the s and sh sounds. Ssssssavor it with a little one.

And if you still have a difficult time, enjoy the carefree images from a simpler era of life. Notice how the illustrator casts shadows over the pages, so that as the book ends, it's much darker. Point out particular items in each picture and let your child enjoy the look of each page.

This book single-handedly turned my non-verbal two-year-old into lively talker. We would read this book on the couch and then proceed with our bedtime routine--all while telling everything in the house goodnight.

Goodnight toothbrush.

Goodnight sisters.

Goodnight pillow.

Goodnight stars.

Goodnight...

One simple book with very simple words--book that I didn't even like--transformed my child's vocabulary.

And the time we spent together talking about each page--absolutely precious!

Happy learning, y'all!