TheGold Shelf

Bedtime books for ages 3 to 5

62 award-winning books for ages 3 to 5. Quiet books for the end of the day.

Babies and toddlers0–2Ages 3 to 53–5Ages 6 to 86–8Ages 9 to 129–12TeensTeen
Animals317Adventure19Fantasy and magic77Funny books213Family152Friendship72History and real people59Nature and science129Folktales and fairy tales130Poetry and rhyme103Feelings and big moments84Bedtime62First chapter books76

62 books

Cover of Fox at NightWinner2022Fox at NightCorey R. Tabor2022 Geisel Award winnerCover of Sato the Rabbit (Book 1)Honor2022Sato the Rabbit (Book 1)Yuki Ainoya2022 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of A Big Mooncake for Little StarHonor2019A Big Mooncake for Little StarGrace Lin2019 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Good Night OwlHonor2017Good Night OwlGreg Pizzoli2017 Geisel Award Honor BookCover of Over the OceanHonor2017Over the OceanTarō Gomi2017 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Go to Sleep, Jessie!Winner2015Go to Sleep, Jessie!Libby Gleeson2015 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of My Father's Arms Are a BoatHonor2014My Father's Arms Are a BoatStein Erik Lunde2014 Batchelder Award Honor BookCover of Sleep Like a TigerHonor2013Sleep Like a TigerMary Logue2013 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Runaway HugWinner2012The Runaway HugNick Bland2012 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Interrupting ChickenHonor2011Interrupting ChickenDavid Ezra Stein2011 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Kitten's First Full MoonWinner2005Kitten's First Full MoonKevin Henkes2005 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of Where Is the Green Sheep?Winner2005Where Is the Green Sheep?Mem Fox2005 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood winnerCover of Hush!: A Thai LullabyHonor1997Hush!: A Thai LullabyHolly Meade1997 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of The Baby Who Wouldn't Go To BedWinner1996The Baby Who Wouldn't Go To BedHelen Cooper1996 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Sleep Tight, Mrs. MingWinner1993Sleep Tight, Mrs. MingSharon Jennings1993 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of Doctor Kiss Says YesWinner1991Doctor Kiss Says YesTeddy Jam1991 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerCover of More More More," Said the Baby: Three Love StoriesHonor1991More More More," Said the Baby: Three Love StoriesVera B. Williams1991 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Free FallHonor1989Free FallDavid Wiesner1989 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Can't You Sleep Little Bear?Winner1988Can't You Sleep Little Bear?Martin Waddell1988 Carnegie Medal for Illustration winnerCover of Ten, Nine, EightHonor1984Ten, Nine, EightMolly Bang1984 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of One Dragon's DreamWinner1980One Dragon's DreamPeter Pavey1980 CBCA Picture Book of the Year winnerCover of Hildilid's NightHonor1972Hildilid's NightArnold Lobel1972 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of In the Night KitchenHonor1971In the Night KitchenMaurice Sendak1971 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Where the Wild Things AreWinner1964Where the Wild Things AreMaurice Sendak1964 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Moon JumpersHonor1960The Moon JumpersJanice May Udry1960 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of When Will the World Be Mine?Honor1954When Will the World Be Mine?Miriam Schlein1954 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Prayer for a ChildWinner1945Prayer for a ChildElizabeth Orton Jones1945 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of A Child's Good Night BookHonor1944A Child's Good Night BookMargaret Wise Brown1944 Caldecott Medal Honor BookCover of Many MoonsWinner1944Many MoonsJames Thurber1944 Caldecott Medal winnerThis Land Is a LullabyTonya SimpsonWinner2025This Land Is a LullabyTonya Simpson2025 Governor General's Award (illustration) winnerThe House in the NightBeth KrommesWinner2009The House in the NightBeth Krommes2009 Caldecott Medal winnerOwl MoonJohn SchoenherrWinner1988Owl MoonJohn Schoenherr1988 Caldecott Medal winnerThe Polar ExpressChris Van AllsburgWinner1986The Polar ExpressChris Van Allsburg1986 Caldecott Medal winnerCover of The Midnight FairShortlist2022The Midnight FairGideon Sterer2022 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Arlo The Lion Who Couldn't SleepShortlist2021Arlo The Lion Who Couldn't SleepCatherine Rayner2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of How The Stars Came To BeShortlist2021How The Stars Came To BePoonam Mistry2021 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of You're Snug with MeShortlist2020You're Snug with MeChitra Soundar2020 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of You're Safe With MeShortlist2019You're Safe With MeChitra Soundar2019 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of When the Moon ComesFinalist2017When the Moon ComesPaul Harbridge2017 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The DarkShortlist2014The DarkLemony Snicket2014 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Again!Shortlist2013Again!Emily Gravett2013 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of King Jack and the DragonShortlist2013King Jack and the DragonPeter Bently2013 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of The Quiet BookFinalist2010The Quiet BookDeborah Underwood2010 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Molly and the Night MonsterShortlist2009Molly and the Night MonsterChris Wormell2009 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Yellow Moon, Apple MoonFinalist2008Yellow Moon, Apple MoonPamela Porter2008 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The Emperor of AbsurdiaShortlist2007The Emperor of AbsurdiaChris Riddell2007 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Jinnie GhostShortlist2005Jinnie GhostBerlie Doherty2005 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Russell the SheepShortlist2005Russell the SheepRob Scotton2005 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Dawn WatchFinalist2004Dawn WatchJean E. Pendziwol2004 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of One More SheepShortlist2004One More SheepMij Kelly2004 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Stella, Princess of the SkyFinalist2004Stella, Princess of the SkyMarie-Louise Gay2004 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of Imagine a NightFinalist2003Imagine a NightSarah L. Thomson2003 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistCover of The Kiss That MissedShortlist2002The Kiss That MissedDavid Melling2002 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of I Love You, Blue KangarooShortlist1998I Love You, Blue KangarooEmma Chichester Clark1998 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of A Quiet Night InShortlist1993A Quiet Night InJill Murphy1993 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of Beware BewareShortlist1993Beware BewareSusan Hill1993 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedCover of SleepersFinalist1988SleepersDayal Kaur Khalsa1988 Governor General's Award (illustration) finalistThe Sleeper TrainMick JacksonShortlist2026The Sleeper TrainMick Jackson2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedThe Midnight PantherPoonam MistryShortlist2024The Midnight PantherPoonam Mistry2024 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedOnce Upon a Northern LightJean E. PendziwolFinalist2013Once Upon a Northern LightJean E. Pendziwol2013 Governor General's Award (text) finalistThe Lost Happy EndingsCarol Ann DuffyShortlist2008The Lost Happy EndingsCarol Ann Duffy2008 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlistedTatty RattyHelen CooperShortlist2001Tatty RattyHelen Cooper2001 Carnegie Medal for Illustration shortlisted