Goodnight, You — Genevieve Cote

In this heartwarming title from the Piggy and Bunny picture book series, the two friends explore what scares them as they prepare for their first campout together. When Bunny admits to being frightened of monsters, Piggy responds that "even if there WAS a monster, I wouldn't scream like you!" When Bunny asks, "What if the monster GROWLS at you?" Piggy answers, "PWAAT! I can be loud, too!" Then, one by one, all of Bunny's questions about what to do if a monster came near are countered confidently by Piggy. Soon Bunny begins to feel differently about monsters, and says, "I can even turn off the light and wish that monster goodnight!" To which Piggy then admits, "NOOO!! I'm a wee bit scared of the dark." With Bunny on the left-facing page of every spread and Piggy on the right, the two create a rhythmic back-and-forth that is soothing yet fun. What Piggy and Bunny learn together is that everyone gets frightened sometimes, and having a good friend nearby is the perfect antidote. Children will appreciate that neither of them makes fun of the other's fears, and instead they find ways to comfort and reassure each other. With soft, gentle artwork and deceptively simple text, award-winning author-illustrator Genevieve Cote has crafted a beautiful picture book that will be a regular favorite at storytime. This would also be a perfect title to begin classroom discussions about emotions, particularly fear, and how to identify, manage and express them.