Ten Little Night Stars by Deb Gruelle (published by Zondervan)

My thoughts:  Ten Little Night Stars is designed for the younger child, and the softly padded cover with foil gold stars and sturdy board pages it is sure to be a pleaser. The pictures are cute, colorful, and certainly eye-catching. Each page flip shows a different "critter" and is in a different bedroom. So this isn't about a specific child getting put to bed, but an assortment of little ones in the process of a bedtime routine.

This isn't a sleepy-time read since the little critters are a bit active (i.e., jumping into bed, then in a chair, then out of bed for prayers, then back in bed - but that does mirror the lively lives of toddlers all their waking hours). The flow of getting prepared for bed, slowing down, praying, and then getting in bed is a bit mixed up.

The illustrations are cute and colorful and are perhaps digitally crafted. I do miss the pen or brush to page art creations from an artist's hand. But digital is good, too. One will find the delightful art of Gabi Murphy on a plethora of children's books. Always lovely.

The text is a rhyme of sorts. Little kiddies are not going to really notice when the cadence is off or that the rhyme is stilted, but it never hurts to have a good lively cadence with expected line lengths in the structure. Even though this is a publication from Christian publisher, ZonderKidz, there is little to Christianize it except they say their prayers.

This is an adorably cute little book and will be enjoyed by little ones. The counting aspect is always a winner and little ones love to show off that they know which number comes next in the count.

About the book: Ten Little Night Stars is a sweet bedtime counting book perfect for the youngest readers. One by one the stars come out in the night sky as cute and cuddly animals go through their bedtime routines. This board book will encourage children to turn the page with interactive and engaging rhyme, and will take them through bath time, story time, and sleep. Written by Deb Gruelle, great-great-grand-niece of Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy, Ten Little Night Stars is the perfect bedtime story for parents and children alike.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the BookLook blogger review program on behalf of ZonderKidz and the author to facilitate a review. Opinions are my own and are freely given.