For Parents and Caregivers

Our Purpose: Early Childhood Literacy and Connected Nights

Nighttype Books was created to make bedtime a connected ritual and to bring the importance of early childhood reading back into the evening routine. Families deserve thoughtfully crafted picture books made with love. We use clear layouts and gentle pacing, with immersive, descriptive narration that helps readers feel the story, not just hear it, all set in the Lexend typeface to reduce visual crowding. These choices keep reading comfortable even in softer evening light, helping families slow down and settle in together.

Research Highlights for Families

• Only about four in ten U.S. toddlers and preschoolers are read to every day. Surely, together, we can change this! (NSCH 2022) Try tonight: Start with ten unhurried minutes.

• Reading aloud changes the brain. MRI studies show stronger activation in areas kids use for language, imagery, and story understanding. (Hutton et al., Pediatrics 2015) Try tonight: Make one picture book your child’s nightly brain-building habit.

• Pointing to words while reading builds print awareness. One picture book a day adds about 78,000 words a year. Over the 5 years before kindergarten entry, children from literacy-rich homes hear a cumulative 1.4 million more words during storybook reading than children who are never read to. (Justice & Ezell, LSHSS 2004; Logan et al., J Dev Behav Pediatr 2019) Try tonight: Track your finger under the line as you read, then point to a familiar word (like a character’s name) and spell it together.

• Screens before bed can delay sleep by suppressing melatonin. Blue lights (from tablets, e-readers or smartphones) have a short wavelength that affects levels of melatonin more than any other wavelength does. Pediatric guidance recommends powering down at least one hour before lights out. (AAP, HealthyChildren.org 2023) Try tonight: Power down for the last hour and reach for a story.

Evenings look different in every home. What matters is reading together regularly, in a way that fits your family. Over time, the habit strengthens language, attention, and connection. If tonight is busy, try again tomorrow. We would be honored to be part of your bedtime routine.

Why We Created the Parent Guide

Many parents ask what they can do during a read-aloud to make it more meaningful. Our Parent Guide offers a simple flow: set the scene, read together with light finger tracking, and weave in one or two short prompts during the story to spark conversation and thinking. Our books close with a quiet cue for bedtime, helping the evening transition feel natural after the last page.