From kittens to cows to bowls of mush, the familiar images from his father's illustrations inspired Thacher Hurd with the idea for Goodnight Moon 123. These comforting images find new expression in this counting companion to the classic bedtime book.

Customer Rating:
Summary: A fun spin on the classic
Comment: Reviewed by Cayden (age 3-1/2) and Max (age 19-months) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (4/08)

"Goodnight Moon 123: A Counting Book" takes the familiar illustrations from the original classic "Goodnight Moon" and arranges them into a counting board book. The book has a very simple format. Each page consists of a number, an illustration, and then short text saying what it is. For example, on one page there is the text and picture of "Six bowls of mush" and then the number "6" in the top corner of the page.

Cayden: "I have a `Goodnight Moon' book and a `Goodnight Moon' game!"

Cayden: "Look mom! There is the mouse that is in the other book!"

Cayden: "There is the old lady who whispers hush!"
Max: "Hush!"

Cayden: "One hundred stars is a lot of stars."

Parent's comments:

Cayden and Max love the original "Goodnight Moon" book and Cayden pretty much knows it by heart. When he saw the illustrations in this book he was able to finish "reading" what the page said before I was able to read it to him. He enjoyed showing Max how to count the different pictures on each page.

We do own other counting books but to my children "Goodnight Moon: 123 A Counting Book" is familiar and that is very appealing to them. I also like that the number and the actual written out word for the number are printed in a different color than the rest of the words on the page to assist in word recognition.

For counting books the more basic the format the better. I have seen so many that are just too cluttered and that takes away from the true purpose of the book. My children enjoyed this book and with Cayden reading it over and over to his brother, Max will be counting in no time!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Sweet and Simple
Comment: What child hasn't loved the timeless classic GOODNIGHT MOON? Whether it was looking for the mouse on the color pages, finding objects to tell goodnight, or simply relaxing to a soothing visual lullaby, it's been a childhood staple since 1947.

Now HarperCollinsPublishers has presented GOODNIGHT MOON 123, arranged by John Thacher Hurd, son of the original illustrator, Clement Hurd. It is a simple collection of drawings taken from the classic storybook and set to a counting theme. From "One quiet old lady whispering hush" to "Ten toy houses," the objects are easy to count and familiar.

For parents who have had the pleasure of reading GOODNIGHT MOON countless times to sleepy bundles, this new incarnation may seem a bit dull. Grownups can see how it wouldn't be hard to Photoshop this book together and cash in on Brown and Hurd's work, and many parents would point out that there are better counting books available.

But seen from a child's perspective, here is a counting book with a familiar look. Much like CHIKA CHIKA 123 is to CHIKA CHIKA BOOM BOOM, this book has the same look of its predecessor, allowing children to make visual connections between that which is the "same."

GOODNIGHT MOON 123 is a nice book that may fall under the popularity wing of the original, but falls short in the world of counting books. Sweet and simple is good, but sometimes that all it is: sweet and simple.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
08/19/2007

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