✦Sandra Boynton · Reading companion
The Going to Bed Book
Read your copy and explore playful pictures, the order of events, and your own quiet routine.
A book to read together
The Going to Bed Book
Original prompts to use with your copy.
The Going to Bed Book is written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton. Bring a family or library copy and use these original Curiosi prompts to talk about playful storytelling and the order of events. Your own evening routine can be different from a fictional one, and readers can choose which questions they want to explore.
Predict a feeling, not an ending
Before reading, look at the title and cover. Ask what sort of reading experience the child expects: quiet, funny, busy, or something else. Invite a reason based on a visual clue. Explain that a prediction is a starting idea that can change. Keep room for more than one possibility as you open the book.
Pause at a playful detail
Read your copy at a comfortable pace. Let the child choose a picture or action that seems funny or unexpected. Ask what makes it stand out. Compare what the words tell you with what the picture adds. There is no need to explain every joke; sharing a smile or pointing to a detail can be enough.
Think about the order
After reading, discuss a pair of events from your copy. Which comes first, and how can you tell? Ask whether changing their order would change the humour or meaning. Then invent a simple everyday example, such as putting paper away before choosing crayons. Talk about an order that would make that new task easier.
Arrange an evening picture path
On reused paper, draw three or four activities for an imaginary family’s evening. The pictures might show tidying a puzzle, choosing comfortable clothes, or sharing a book. Arrange them into a path and explain the order. Swap two cards and discuss the difference. Make a plan that suits your own household rather than copying the book’s sequence.
Your turn to read
Keep the conversation going
There is no single right answer. Invite young readers to notice, wonder and imagine.
Which playful detail caught your attention?
What clue showed the order of two events?
How did swapping your cards change the plan?
Make something: Make a three-card sequence for a different task, such as planting a seed or setting up a drawing space. Ask a partner to arrange it and explain their choice.
