19 Interesting Goodnight Moon Facts: Learn About This Great Book

The book for young children takes on a different perspective than others of its kind, which is considered ahead of its time.

The book was written by Margaret Wise Brown, and its illustrations were done by Clement Hurd, published on September 3, 1947. Although the book did not do too well in the beginning, it has since come a long way and into the hearts of many of its readers.

If you're a parent, there's a good chance you've read 'Goodnight Moon' to your child. It's one of the most popular children's books of all time and remains one of the greatest contributions to children's literature! But how much do you know about it?

In this article, we will discuss 19 interesting facts about Goodnight Moon. We'll explore everything from its author to its illustrator to its meaning. So if you're looking for some fun Goodnight Moon trivia, look no further!

Characters Of 'Goodnight Moon'

The book has been read all over the world since it was first published. It has even been translated into several languages, including Japanese, Russian, Swedish, and German. There are not many characters in the bedtime book as the whole story happens in just one room.

There is a little bunny in the room who is going to bed and is the main character in this children's book. The table beside the bed has a hairbrush with the word 'Bunny' engraved on it, which leads us to conclude that's its name.

Bunny and the old lady bunny seem to take on more human-like characters as they are both dressed in nightclothes, and the old lady bunny is sitting on a rocking chair knitting away.

The other living beings in the picture are two kittens playing with a spool of yarn and a young mouse that keeps moving in every picture.

Synopsis Of 'Goodnight Moon'

The book is about the bunny saying goodnight to everything in the room. That includes non-living things.

This is very child-like as we've all done this to our toys when we were young children. It's a very popular book, but that wasn't always the case. For example, there was a time the New York Public Library rejected to add it to their library.

The bunny goes around the room looking at objects like the pictures on the wall, the mittens, the chair, and the moon. The list goes on until it falls asleep.

The whole story takes place between 7 p.m and 08:10 p.m, which is indicated by the clock on the mantlepiece and the one beside the bed.

The bunny says goodnight to the picture of a cow jumping over the moon and a picture of three bears sitting. The reference is to the rhyme 'Hey Diddle Diddle' and the story of 'Goldilocks And The Three Bears.'

The bright colors used in the room, mostly green and red, along with the illustrations speak for themselves as there are only a few words used. The rest of the meaning is inferred from the visual imagery the book provides, which makes it very appropriate and relatable for children.

The book has two color pages and two black and white pages. This was a way to cut back on costs back then.

Each time a colored page appears, ten minutes 10 passed by in the story. The lights also get dimmer and dimmer as time goes on, and the moon rises higher in the sky.

This picture book by Margaret Wise Brown is like the activity book 'Where's Wally?' as when you are reading the book. You have to keep looking for the objects mentioned, which keeps the reader active and entertained.

The rhyming of the words throughout the book, like 'bear' and 'chair,' makes it easier for children to relate words together and helps in how they learn and process words.

The New York Public library finally got these books back after the librarian who rejected them initially for being too sentimental retired. It hit the shelves in 1972.

Video Adaptation

The book was adapted into a short animation. It was portrayed along with several other stories and rhymes for children. It was made on July 15, 1999, and released in December that year. It is 26 minutes long.

This animation was released on HBO Family, VHS, and released on DVD in 2005 in the US.

The narration was done by Susan Saradon, a famous actress and social activist.

The show went viral when a kid in the post-credit interview stumbles on a sentence. This came out as a meme in 2011, and the kid revealed himself as Joseph Crikiel.

About The Author

Margaret Wise Brown was a famous writer even before she wrote this book. She is also the author of 'Runaway Bunny' and a bunch of other children's books. Although Margaret Wise Brown wrote many children's books, she never had any children of her own. She was a very well-educated lady born into a wealthy family.

Margaret Wise Brown was born on May 23, 1910, in New York. She died aged 42 of an embolism on November 13, 1952, in Nice, France.

The first book of hers to be published was 'When The Wind Blew' in 1937.

She based Goodnight Moon on her childhood when she'd say goodnight to all her dolls with her sister Roberta.

Margaret Wise Brown went to Bank Streets School for Student Teachers, where she, along with researchers and teachers, observed the speech and language style of children in a nursery and studied early childhood development.

The findings showed that rhythm and sound quality were very important in learning which Brown used to her advantage in many books.

Brown always rejected the fairy tales and moral stories common in her time to write simple stories children might be interested in and, more importantly, relate to, which is what brought her such success. Her books revolutionized the children's literary world.

Brown had a cottage in Vinalhaven, Maine, which she called 'The Only House,' and it's where her ashes are spread because she felt at home here the most.

FAQs

Is 'Goodnight Moon' creepy?

Some people have said that 'Goodnight Moon' is a creepy book because of the way it depicts rabbits as living in human bedrooms.

Did 'Goodnight Moon' win any awards? 

This children's literature was listed as 'Teachers' Top 100 Books For Children' and ranked number four for 'Top 100 Picture Books'. The children's memory game adaptation won an award.

Why was 'Goodnight Moon' revised?

The original edition had a picture of illustrator Clement Hurd with a cigarette which was edited out.

How old is 'Goodnight Moon'? 

'Goodnight Moon' was published in 1947, so it is now 74 years old.

Who owns the copyright to 'Goodnight Moon'?

The copyright is owned by the publishing company HarperCollins.