Picture Books : All Through the Night; How to Make A Bedtime; Night Walk

From sleepytime to strolls under the stars.

Nighttime can mean two thing to parents: time for bed, and tuck-in for the children. There’s a reason why slumber parties become appealing to kids, as they get permission to stay up rather than sleep. But the sun going down can mean much more than sleep.

These picture books talk about the routine of bedtime and about what can happen in cities after regular businesses close. We get reminders to slow down and appreciate a moment, as well as the invisible workers that keep our cities running.

All Through the Night: Important Jobs That Get Done at Night by Polly Faber, Illustrated by Harriet Hobday

We know people who work a nine to five. Others manage with freelance routines or have retail shifts. Some jobs, however, are exclusively at night. Think of the 24-hour pharmacies, the subways open late in New York and Philadelphia, and the midnight office janitors. Someone has to work those jobs so our society can function. Welcome to the night shift. Keep your mind open and your eyes awake.

Bender of Futurama once said some of the best work happens when you don’t notice it; we see that…