Books review-The kitten who wants to fall asleep by Cecilia Egan

This is the book I wish I’d had when my daughter was small and I was struggling with establishing a bedtime routine. The Kitten Who Wants To Fall Asleep, written by Cecilia Egan and illustrated by Elizabeth Alger, is based on creating visual cues and strategies for children to learn how to fall asleep.
 
This is an interactive book that allows the parent to read a story, while also interjecting their child’s name into the text and making them a part of the narrative. It has cues for parents to be able to change their voice in order to emphasise certain words.
 
While Misti, the kitten in the narrative is attempting to fall asleep she uses various sleep strategies such as breathing and clenching her muscles, this is also teaching the child themselves how to put themselves to sleep.
 
The other thing that I really like about this book is the reminder in the beginning about how to promote a healthy bedtime routine. While all of the suggestions are common sense as a parent I would have appreciated the reminder because in the stress and pressure of caring for a small child, and the sleep deprivation that goes along with it, I found myself forgetting common sense.
 
As I was reading this book I actually found myself following the visual suggestions and the rhythm of the narrative was soothing and calming me. This is a real treasure for any parents who are needing a little helper with their child’s bedtime and is a great introduction to establishing a routine of reading at night before sleep.
 
There are also other books in the series that help with other problems such as getting out of diapers and learning to control their temper.

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