The Night Forest

LoveReading4Kids Says

April 2025 Book of the Month

Ziggy has never had any trouble getting to sleep at night, their bedtime routine with mum and dad – shower, toothbrushing, pyjamas with comets on warmed on the radiator, bedtime story – makes sleep come quickly and easily. But the night their parents explain they are going to be living apart, everything changes.

That night Ziggy asks for a light to be left on and when they do finally fall asleep, find themselves in the Night Forest, a dark wood, filled with rustlings and spooky noises. No matter where they go to sleep, at Dad’s or a friend’s, Ziggy finds themselves in the same wood when their eyes close. It’s only when Ziggy decides to explore a bit, climbing a tree and watching foxes playing, that they come to understand what’s really happening, and why they don’t need to be afraid.

With its mix of real life and imaginary, almost magical worlds, all described through Ziggy’s eyes, this story is full of reassurance for any young child whose parents are separating, or indeed for anyone who is prone to worry. The black and white illustrations perfectly match the warmth of the story which would be great to read aloud to young children and would also be an accessible and engaging read for newly independent readers.

Andrea Reece

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