Goodnight Moon (2001)

Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales is a well-produced storytime program from HBO that includes more than a dozen charming segments during its 30-minute runtime. I would recommend watching it straight through with your child the first time but during the day; afterwards use the chapter selections to let your child view his or her choice of one or more segments from the varied menu before bedtime. (This should help mitigate complaints from adults who have it in for Susan Sarandon or claim Mercer Mayer's story gave their tykes nightmares. In other words, if a parent can't tell the program mixes bedtime stories with lively child interviews that might counter sleepytime, trust the tot to choose.) Every bit of this compilation is a charmer for the child within and is nicely done. Throughout the half-hour, children with the most animated voices and faces speak from their heart about dreams and blankies and more. (Don't miss the final vignette after the closing credits.) Tony Bennett sings Hit the Road to Dreamland. Susan Sarandon gently reads a lightly animated version of Margaret Wise Brown's bedtime classic Goodnight Moon. Lauryn Hill sings Hush Little Baby. Billy Crystal reads a lightly animated version of Mercer Mayer's cute There's A Nightmare in My Closet. Natalie Cole reads Faith Ringgold's dreamlike Tar Beach. Aaron Neville sings Brahms' Lullaby. Patti LaBelle sings Twinkle Twinkle (Little Star). This disc will breathe new life into classic bedtime tales and tunes -- which I hope you already know well -- and, trust me, the children's sweet- and wry-faced reflections are truly wisdom "out of the mouths of babes." 3.5 stars. (11-15-08)