Good morning, good evening, or goodnight dear reader, maybe you will see a cow jumping over the moon. Goodnight Moon is a child’s bedtime story and has been around for a very long time. Goodnight Moon has also given joy to many parents, children, and in general its readers. The book takes place in a child’s room before a peaceful rest, the child proceeds to say goodnight to everything in the room saying “Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the moon.” Goodnight Moon was published on September 3rd, 1947, was written by Margret Wise Brown, and was illustrated by Clement Hurd.
Goodnight Moon‘s success slowly came about from 1,500 sales in 1953 to over 20,000 in 1970 and then over 4 million books were sold in 1990. According to an online poll in 2007 by the National Education Association, the book was named in “Teachers’ Top 100 Books for Children”. Not to mention that it was also labeled as one of the “Top 100 Picture Books” of all time in a 2012 poll by School Library Journal. Heck, even bands have read the book live on stage, GWAR’s lead singer Oderus Urungus did a live reading of the book.
Why is this book so popular you ask, well it could be due to the book being 33 pages of simplicity, many children love the book, the comical sense of a child saying goodnight to all around, and because maybe the word goodnight means something more than just goodnight. The word goodnight can be used in different ways, to express irritation, good will, or a farewell. Goodnight is prominently used as a good will farewell when said to little children. The book is comical in the sense that the child is saying goodnight to everything in the bedroom and not to mention the well known sentence “Goodnight moon”.
Humans and their rituals have always been around and not only adults have rituals but children also have rituals. As adults and children alike, we all have the need for a sense of security and familiarity. The child says goodnight to anything and all in the room to have a sense of familiarity and security. Familiarity and security go hand in hand with a calming effect. Rituals are around to provide a security blanket, most likely even though this book only covers one night this bedtime ritual is probably done every night since it has been adopted.
As a child I was read this book night after night. The reading of this book became a ritual that provided me with a sense of great security and had me get into the habit of repeating the book while it was read and also had me start saying goodnight to everything in my room as a child. Goodnight Reader.