What makes a successful bedtime story?

When I first had the idea to write a children's book, I instantly knew I wanted it to be a bedtime story. Some of my favorite memories as a child are of my parents tucking me in and reading classics like "Goodnight Moon" or "My Many Colored Days" aloud until I drifted into sleep. To be able to provide this experience for other children is a goal I cherished, but first I had to research the facets that separate any children's book from a bedtime book. 

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I discovered an incredible blog titled "Book Nerd Mommy" run by a former elementary school teacher and mother. She divides the characteristics of a bedtime book into three facets: 

(1) Topic

(2) Color pallet 

(3) Rhythm 

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As I wrote and illustrated "Falling Upwards," I aimed to focus on these three aspects of the book to create the ultimate sleepy vibe that would encourage children not only to fall asleep, but to view sleep as something to look forward to. 

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The topic of a bedtime story should, unsurprisingly, be centered around some aspect of going to sleep. My book is set at night time and begins in Luna's bedroom. It describes the moon and the stars, two features that many children associate with winding down and getting ready for bed. As for my color pallet, I went with dark blues, purples and blacks. Research has demonstrated that cool, muted color pallets can be soothing to the eyes in contrast to vibrant colors that can evoke a sense of excitement. Finally, the rhythm of a bedtime book should be silky. While the juxtaposition of many short sentences can create the same sense of thrill as bright colors, longer sentences with a flowing rhythm are calming to the ears. 

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I hope to have successfully created a story that will carry children off into dreamland.