Books for Children at Bedtime

 

Many people have fond memories of a parent, an aunt or an uncle, reading to them, often when one was tucked up in bed for the night. Although the main objective was to entertain the young mind and set it in a fantasy land where sleep came easily, on reflection one realises that this nocturnal experience was a key element in one's broader education for life. The choice of appropriate literature in this setting could signpost a moral pathway, mould emotional development, stimulate a life-long love of reading and initiate a lifetime of enjoyment.
As far back as one can remember, a diet of Charles Dickens was provided by a favourite aunt whose regular attendance at the bedside was a treasured joy. Beginning with The Old Curiosity Shop and progressing to Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, young dreams were filled with visions of Victorian London full of colourful characters. Much sympathy was educed for the poor and oppressed, of which there were many, and even if Scrooge, Fagin and Bill Sykes inspired fear, it was all of a time long past and the world had become a better place - or at least that was the way it seemed to a child sheltered from the ravages of World War II.
As the years passed, from a set of the complete works of Dickens, emerged Great Expectations, Nicholas Nickleby and even A Tale of Two Cities. Bedtime reading continued in parallel with daytime reading to oneself, but before handing over entirely, the admirable aunt read the entire text of South with Scott, the epic account by Edward Evans of the tragic expedition to the South Pole led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott in 1911-12. Such stirring accounts of real-life adventure could not fail to leave a lasting impression on an evolving mind, and inspire a resolve to strive to achieve something good.
Reviewing the books of childhood prompts one to question what were the essential characteristics that both captured the young imagination and settled the mind to sleep? That the books were all masterpieces of English literature and may have inspired a lifelong love of good language would not have been a factor. The young appetite was for good stories about believable characters, preferably youthful ones with whom it was easy to identify. Gratuitous horror and violence were avoided, and sex lay in wait in the future, but humour was always welcome provided it did not excite to excess.
Happy endings are more likely to induce sound sleep than sad ones, but in full length novels a happy ending cannot be expected at every reading. So books adapted for bedtime can be divided into bite-size chapters with endings, which if not always happy, provide an answer rather than leave a disturbing question or continuing concern. Experts stress the importance of pictures, especially for younger children, so if the turned page reveals a picture, it should always be shared with the sleepy listener to consolidate the scene of the first dream.

Saint George, Rusty Knight, and Monster Tamer is a series of nine self-contained historical short stories which introduces George, a hapless knight who has an unusual skill for monster taming, and which, with wit and delightful aplomb takes the young reader on an adventurous journey though some significant moments in history.
Historical Novel Society, February 2016
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