Bedtime Stories

These are books I enjoy reading as much as an adult as I did when I was a child, if not more-so, or books I discovered long after growing up but wish I had read when I was younger. These are those stories that feel comfortable and soothing or dark and brooding, that you can take to bed with you and burrow yourself deep into a whole other world.

The Sandman: Fables & Reflections by Neil Gaiman, et al

Fables & Reflections is the sixth volume in The Sandman graphic novel series but is comprised of a collection of short one-issue stories, so doesn't need to be read in sequential order. Why I specifically chose this novel was because of the retelling of the story of Orpheus from the Greek myths. I featured The Sandman series in my Graphic Novels Worth Reading selection; mystical, magical, and not to be missed.

Necronomicon: The Best Weird Tales by H.P. Lovecraft

This giant collection of H.P. Lovecraft's work combines horror, science fiction, and cosmology. The Necronomicon is a fictional grimoire full of vivid and horrifying imagery. Lovecraft understands how to make you feel alone and fearful of what lurks in the darkness. You might not want to read this at bedtime but if, like me, you enjoy a good chill down your spine - read the Necronomicon.

American Indian Myths and Legends by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso Ortiz

This book contains 160 tribal tales with black-and-white drawings throughout, sharing Native American mythic heritage. Each story is short, only two or three pages long. As with all traditional folklore, each of these stories has its own lesson to teach and because of this a lot of adult themes - sexual intercourse, rape, incest, and murder - are explored. Most of the stories are either amusing or gross and they are best shared, aloud, with friends.

The Greek Myths - Folio Society Edition by Robert Graves

This special Folio Society edition of The Greek Myths is simply beautiful. Robert Graves, the novelist and poet, retells the myths in an imaginative style with a poetic flair, creating an easy to follow narrative that is absorbing and entertaining. An absolute all time favourite of mine, The Greek Myths makes the perfect bedtime reading.

The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and Leonora Alleyne Lang

I recommend reading any of the fairy books by Andrew Lang but The Red Fairy Book remains one of my absolute favourites. Thirty-seven fairy tales from France, Russia, Denmark, Romania, and Norse are retold alongside beautiful illustrations. Traditional fairy tales you may or may not remember being read to as a child.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

A little boy leaves the safety of his planet to travel the universe where he learns about life through a series of extraordinary encounters. The Little Prince is a beautiful story that will, once you read it, stay in your memory for life.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

The last unicorn sets out in search of others like her only to discover King Haggard and the Red Bull have banished all the unicorns into sea and she is the last one left. A beautiful, haunting story that will break you heart and only try ever so slightly to mend it. This is not the typical children's book, don't be fooled; The Last Unicorn is a beautifully written, melancholic story of hope, confusion, betrayal, and love. Read. It.

The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien

The funniest most scariest book I have ever read; The Third Policeman is a dark comic novel about time, death, and existence. The narrator, who has committed a botched robbery and brutal murder, finds himself at a two-dimensional police station where he meets three eccentric policemen full of riddles and contradictions. The book dips you into a confusing world of nonsensical humour yet ends on a terrifying note.