Refresh Your Child's Bedtime Books (and Enjoy Them Too)

If you’ve got a kid who is obsessed with books, bedtime can stretch a bit, with at least one request for “just one more.” You start with one, and before you know it you are halfway through a small stack, doing voices, each story flowing into the next. It is not a bad problem to have, and you’re allowed to enjoy this time too.

Reading the same books on repeat is often seen as something parents just have to get through each night. But it does not have to be like that. Pick books you like. Seriously. If you are going to read something on repeat, make it something with decent writing, humour that lands, or illustrations you can actually look at without zoning out. Kids will still latch onto favourites, but you can influence what ends up in the rotation.

This is where your local libraries come in, alongside old favourites there is always something new to discover. Staff can also help recommend books that work well for reading aloud, whether you are looking for humour, rhythm, or something a bit different. Instead of being stuck with the same few titles, families can rotate through a wide range of books, finding stories with humour, strong storytelling, or illustrations that reward a second or third read. A well-chosen picture book can hold up surprisingly well to repetition.

With the right mix of familiar favourites and new discoveries, bedtime reading is a pretty good way to end the day. Sometimes one more book is worth it.