Book review - Goodnight Starry, D'Arcy Lewis

We're lucky enough to have children's author, D'arcy Lewis, and writer of a lovely book, Goodnight Starry live locally, so when I had the pleasure of meeting him a few months back, I was excited to try his book with Little L at bedtime.

Goodnight Starry is a large hardback book with a lovely illustration on the dustcover, showing a very smiley moon. Little L was immediately excited to read it when she saw it, and I think the hard cover made her think she was very grown up, being a change from her usual paperbacks and board books! 

The story itself doesn't take too long to read, with short rhyming passages on each double page spread, taking the reader through the story, ending at our planet Earth, and a sweet message at the end. Each page has something interesting of note about the planets, so we sometimes chat together about those, depending on how much time we have to read!The book is a bedtime book, but also hugely educational, with a theme of learning about the solar system in a really fun, but also calm way. Starting with Mercury, and progressing through the planets, each has been given a character, a personality which Little L just loved, especially the princess Saturn with her beautiful necklace. 

The illustrations really do bring the story to life, and we loved the soft, muted palette of colours throughout, with blue night skies really helping to create a sense of calm as we read the story. 

I can honestly say that, with a shelf full of Julia Donaldson and other popular rivals, Little L chooses this one more often than many of the other old favourites now, and listens intently, which isn't always the case with other books, so have to take that as a big win!

And she's really picked up, at age 3, the names of the planets already, knowing we live on Earth, and listing Mercury, Venus and Mars in order too! The association with the characters is such a great idea, but has plenty in the story to educate older children too.

I would definitely recommend the book for children aged 3 - 6, it's a great introduction to the solar system, but also just a lovely bedtime book too.

Goodnight Starry is available in many bookshops - or buy online at https://goodnightstarry.com/  and priced at £6.99.

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