Written by Champ Thornton, Illustrated by Rommel Ruiz
Review by Mikaela Dursma
Like most parents, our children have gone through phases of being scared at night. And, as we have all been children, we all understand that fear. After all, what good could happen in the dark?
Why Do We Say Good Night? is a book I wish I had when my oldest was entering into the stage of nighttime fears. It starts out with Psalm 4:8 as the framework for the story: “In peace I will lie down and sleep. Lord, you alone keep me safe.”
Instead of pointing out why day is better than night (so hurry up and sleep), or distracting from the fear, the mother in this book seeks to reassure her child that God made the night and is still in control of it. There are so many truths about God: He is omniscient, He is near, He is our Shepherd, He is powerful, He is our Protector. We do not need to fear when we think about such things.
Even the illustrations tell a story. As we enter into the night, we see monsters everywhere. But, as the mother speaks truth over her daughter, those monsters change from menacing to harmless. And by the end of the book, they have become what they always had been: pieces of furniture and flights of fancy.
We can say good night and mean it wholeheartedly. It is good simply because God made it good. And we can teach our children to think on the truths of who God is and what He is capable of.
I would recommend this book to everyone, but especially those who struggle with fears about the dark. This is a perfect book for independent young readers as well. The cadence is easy to follow, which makes the truths tattoo themselves in your mind. And, really, who doesn’t need to dwell on these truths?
Mikaela Dursma and her husband, Gharrett, have three sons and serve in Faith's Children's Ministry.
View Resources by Mikaela Dursma
