Brown, Margaret Wise. 1947. GOODNIGHT MOON. by Clement Hurd. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN 0590733028.
2. Plot Summary
In this picture book, Margaret Wise Brown seemed to demonstrate the "visual fading" that takes place as someone is falling asleep. The book's core setting takes place in a bunny's bedroom and the focus of the book is on various objects within this room such as: a red balloon, a picture of a cow jumping over the moon, a picture of three bears sitting in chairs, a pair of kittens, and a pair of mittens, among other objects. As the story progresses, the bunny is saying "goodnight" to all of these objects as the pictures in the books get darker and darker. This is symbolic of the bunny drifting off to sleep.
3. Critical Analysis
Brown's language in this book consists of very simple phrases that is reflective of the vocabulary of its targeted audience-young and emergent readers (children aged 3-5). Many of the words used to reflect a consistent pattern of onset rime such as--"kittens and mittens," "clocks and socks," and "brush and mush." Rather than telling a structured story, Brown instead decides to reintroduce the objects that were pointed out earlier in the book by having the bunny say "goodnight" to these things. This seems to be a clever twist to the story, yet there appears to be some inconsistencies. For example, in the beginning of the book, it is mentioned that a telephone is in the room. Yet, unlike the other objects in the room, the telephone is not referenced later in the book. Furthermore, it seems that the bunny is representative of a child, so why would there be a telephone in his room? The book does mention an old lady saying "hush." Could this be his grandmother or mother? Is he sleeping in her room and not his own? The book does not really make this clear.
Clement Hurd's illustrations are perhaps what best tells the story. In the book, Hurd mindfully illustrates a clock in the bedroom that is set to 7:00 and has the clock set to 8:10 by the book's end. What was also clever about Hurd's illustrations was the fact that he made the made pictures darker as the reader approached the end of the book to symbolize a child going to bed. However, as with Brown's writing, there are some notable inconsistencies with Hurd's illustrations. For example, the brush in the bunny's room has "Bunny" written on it from the beginning to the middle but by the book's end the "Bunny" is no longer visible on the brush. Also, the old lady saying "hush" disappears by the end. Why would she leave if the other objects that were mentioned in the book were still there by the book's end?
Despite its inconsistencies, Goodnight Moon is a great bedtime book for young children, as well as a great source for teachers to use as they teach onset rime and patterns (the book contains a consistent pattern of colored pictures and black-and-white pictures).
4. Review Excerpts
Barnes and Noble- "Brown's soothing text is complimented by Hurd's vibrant illustrations."
Christian Science Monitor-"Rhythmic, gently lulling words combined with warm and equally lulling pictures make this beloved classic an ideal bedtime book."
5. Connections
Related books may include:
- Boynton, Sandra.GOING TO BED BOOK, THE. by Sandra Boynton. ISBN 9780671449025
- Brown, Margaret Wise. MY WORLD. by Clement Hurd. ISBN 9780694008629
- Rathman, Peggy. GOOD NIGHT, GORILLA. by Peggy Rathman. ISBN 9780399230035
