GOOD NIGHT, PLANET: TOON Level 2 (TOON Books, Level 2)

After a little girl is tucked into bed, her stuffed animal deer named Planet goes off on adventures of his/her own. Planet shares a cookie with the family dog, and then is told by a mouse about the biggest cookie of all (the moon), which they try but fail to reach.

This is a sweet tale in the vein

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of Toys Go Out, The Day the Toys Ran Away, or even Toy Story, with the idea of a child’s toys having a life of their own. In fact, an author’s note indicates that his own child had a deer stuffed animal she named Planet and the dog in this book is modeled after their family dog, giving everything a more realistic feel (even though the book is obviously fantastical).

The illustrations are delightfully drawn, with gentle colors and a soothing sense of a calm and peaceful home. The book is deceptive in its simplicity, leaving a rather poignant pull on the heartstrings. I loved the line about Planet’s name: “Every animal, big or small, is a whole universe.”

The book ends with Toon’s guidance on their reading levels, including some tips for parents reading aloud with children. This is definitely a graphic novel, but the relatively slim text makes it accessible for younger readers.

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