Most bedtime books offer a rabbit, a moon and the reasonable expectation that everyone will eventually shut up and go to sleep. Alexander DeRosa brings a Chevrolet Nova. Finally, some horsepower in the nursery.
Goodnight Nova follows Lincoln and Madeleine into their dad's Silver Shed, where something substantial waits beneath a blanket. The children help with tools and tires while Dad keeps the surprise covered. Anyone who has promised that a garage project will be finished soon may recognize the arrangement. Fortunately, this father delivers before the children qualify for mortgages.
The reveal leads to an evening drive, with the engine supplying the soundtrack and the family supplying the reason to go anywhere at all. DeRosa keeps the language simple, giving whoever reads aloud a welcome opportunity to clack, click and produce an undignified engine impression. Grandparents should consider that part of the purchase agreement.
What works best is the scale of the adventure. No villain arrives. Nobody needs rescuing. A father makes time, children get involved, and a garage becomes somewhere worth remembering. The final pages bring that excitement gently back toward bed, rather than leaving everybody mentally bouncing off the ceiling.
The illustrations favor friendly faces, gleaming chrome and starry skies. The story is brief, and older children wanting a more involved plot may find it slight. For younger listeners, that simplicity leaves room to study the pictures and join in with the sounds.
For our first Reading Room selection, this is a reminder that car culture begins long before a driving test. Sometimes it starts with a bedtime story.
Goodnight Nova understands something adults occasionally forget while arguing about specifications. A machine can give people an excuse to spend time together.
And this one does it without asking you to finance a restoration. That alone deserves applause.
Find the book
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
