Nine O'Clock Lullaby

Name: Nine O'Clock Lullaby
ISBN: 9780590471855

For the child curious about the wider world, this soothing story shows how different families across the globe are living while they tuck into bed.

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About This Book

Reach for this book when your child is feeling small, restless, or curious about the vastness of the world beyond their bedroom window. It is the perfect antidote for the 'bedtime blues' or for those nights when a child feels lonely in the dark. By connecting a single moment in Brooklyn to the vibrant, waking lives of people in places like Switzerland, Zaire, and Australia, this story helps children feel like part of a global family. The book uses poetic rhythm and beautiful illustrations to explain the concept of time zones through the lens of human connection. It is ideal for children aged 3 to 8 who are beginning to ask where the sun goes at night or what other children are doing far away. Parents will appreciate how it settles the mind while expanding the imagination, making the world feel both big and safely interconnected.

Curiosity & Wonder Family & Siblings Love & Family History Bedtime Struggles Nature & Outdoors

What Parents Should Know

Cultural Content GapMild

Written in 1991; some geographical names like Zaire have since changed to DR Congo.

Read plot summary

The story begins at 9:00 p.m. in Brooklyn, New York, as a mother reads a bedtime story to her child. From there, the narrative travels eastward across the globe in hourly increments. We see a late-night snack in England, a cat in Moscow, morning chores in China, and a midday barbecue in Australia, eventually circling back to the United States. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book is entirely secular and gentle. It depicts various cultures with respect and warmth. There are no depictions of trauma or conflict, making it a safe, low-stakes choice for sensitive readers. EMOTIONAL ARC: The emotional arc is rhythmic and steady. It maintains a 'lullaby' quality throughout, never spiking into high-action. It creates a sense of comfort by showing that while it is dark in one place, the world is always awake and alive somewhere else. IDEAL READER: A preschooler or early elementary student who is starting to feel 'FOMO' (fear of missing out) at bedtime, or a child who has relatives living in a different time zone and wants to understand the distance. PARENT TRIGGER: This is a great choice when a child asks, 'Is everyone in the world sleeping right now?' or expresses anxiety about being alone in the night. PARENT PREP: No specific preparation is needed. The book is designed for a cold read, though parents might want to have a globe or map handy for after the story. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger children (3-5) will focus on the repetitive animals and family scenes in the art. Older children (6-8) will begin to grasp the mathematical concept of the 24-hour cycle and the geography of the specific countries mentioned. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many global concept books that focus on differences, this one focuses on the shared passage of time, using a rhythmic structure that mimics the rocking of a cradle.