Born in 1910, Margaret Wise Brown always wanted to be a writer – but her journey towards the phenomenal, almost unprecedented success she eventually achieved – was a bit sideways. (There was a very interesting biography of her that came out a couple of years ago. What a life!) She went into education, she was always interested in children’s books, and was disheartened by what she saw out there in the published world for kids. She had other ideas. Maybe there doesn’t need to be an overt Sunday School lesson in children’s books. Maybe what a small child who is learning to read really wants is a quiet book of sweet observations that is somehow connected to what the child looks around and sees in his or her own life. After getting her degree in education, she worked as a teacher, and eventually became connected to Harper & Brothers, as an editor of children’s books. From there, she started to write.
“Good night mush”??? I mean, come on. It’s one of my favorite lines ever. “Good night mush.”
Margaret Wise Brown died very young, at the age of 42.
I have written before about Good Night Moon, perhaps not an entire post – but it comes up from time to time in my posts about writing (examples here, here and here). Good Night Moon is that rarest of books: it is perfect.
When I am struggling with my own propensity to over-write, or over-explain, using too many damn words, I’ll turn to Margaret Atwood at her best, for inspiration, guidance. Or Jeanette Winterson (at her best). Or John McGahern (who was always at his best). But I also turn to Margaret Wise Brown.
Goodnight light
And the red balloon
Goodnight bears
Goodnight chairs
Goodnight kittens
And goodnight mittens
Goodnight clocks
And goodnight socks
Goodnight little house
And goodnight mouse
That is basically just a LIST of objects. But a whole world comes into view – not just of the objects itself, but of the love infused in such objects (the book becomes like a child’s prayer – “And God bless my mummy and daddy, and God bless Jasper the dog, and God bless my flowers and my fishbowl …” Etc. A compulsive list, but so full of love your heart might burst.)
And I am not overstating the situation when I say that the final three lines give me goosebumps every time I read them.
Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere
Happy birthday, Margaret Wise Brown.
Good Night Moon is one of the most successful children’s books of all time.
Oh I feel the same way – that list is like a prayer. The little child’s world…just the simplest of things – mittens…a comb, a brush, and a bowl full of mush – and it’s also like they’re all going to bed, too. Or like you’d tell the child that, so the child would be more amenable to the idea of going to bed. I know, I’m rambling. And yes – I always got goosebumps reading those last lines, too. It’s a treasure of a book.
Jayne – yes! All the objects are alive and they are going to sleep with the child (or the little bunny) … so it’s okay to let go, and go to sleep.
Gulp!!!
All without ever SAYING that explicitly …
Just a perfect perfect book.
I love this book. I’ve read it to my daughters many times, and I always get goosebumps at the last lines.
After hundreds of readings, I noticed that the last few pages come after the little bunny has fallen asleep, and the mother (grandmother?) bunny – or the universe – is taking on finishing the list. Almost like a prayer, or a promise.
Look at all the versions in other languages! Amazing.
How wonderful that Margaret Wise Brown‘s power can still reach us as adults. For me, the book that framed my dog-centric consciousness as a child was “Mister Dog: The Dog Who Belonged to Himself” (illustrated by the magical Garth Williams). Her words and her life have continued to fascinate me. I hope that you have had a chance to read Leonard Marcus’ bio of M.W.B., Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon. She had a complicated life, but managed to distill it into books that can teach all of us how to write and how to perceive the world around us. Thanks for writing this, Sheila.
Appreciatively,
Moira
I loved reading Goodnight Moon to my girls. We made a game out of finding the mouse in the picture of each room. This cartoon has been hanging on our frig for years. Happy Birthday Margaret!
I love that book. its cool to see the covers with the different languages. Who doesn’t love that book?