The Best Bedtime Stories for
6- to 8-Year-Olds

by Devon A. Corneal

Photo credit: JGI/Jamie Grill, Blend Images/Getty Images

So the time has come: Your child has moved past Goodnight Moon. You’re both ready for something new, but what do you do when you can’t rely on a brush, some mush, and an old lady whispering “Hush” to get to sleep? Not just any book will calm a child at the end of the night. Bedtime stories have to strike a delicate balance. They should be lively but not too rowdy, intriguing but not too scary, calming but not dull, kid-friendly but not infantile. It doesn’t hurt if they have tough covers that can stand up to a drop from mattress height onto the floor.

Now that your child has started reading on their own, books that encourage them to read aloud to you are an extra bonus. It can be tough to find the best bedtime story, but we’ve found a few that will give every growing reader sweet dreams.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2020.