So here’s the deal. When you’re a parent, about 40% of the “nighttime routine” is magical. The rest is pull-out-your-hair, holy crap why won’t you listen to me, NO I’M SERIOUS YOU NEED TO BRUSH YOUR TEETH LIKE ***NOW*** frustrating. But the cute stuff sure does make up for all the craziness. ;)Today I wanted to talk a little bit about our bedtime routines and the best books for 5-year-old girls as they relate to reading.It’s the way I personally wind down and fall asleep every night. What better way to step into someone else’s world than a great book? I want so badly for my own children to have that same love of adventure, relaxation and all-consuming rapture that I experience. So every night–crazy bedtime antics be damned–we crack open a book.

Here’s what we are reading, and loving, that helps to make our nights that much sweeter. 🙂

Favorite Reads and The Best Books for 5-Year-Old Girls

Twinkle, by Katharine Holabird

The cutest story about a fairy’s struggle to learn magic, and why it’s so important to stick with it!

Little People, Big Dreams: Audrey Hepburn

You know the legend; this is her life story, written of course in much simpler terms. It deals with serious subjects like war, hunger, and dreams… but in a simplified, little-kid kind of way.

Thelma the Unicorn, by Aaron Blabey

Nope, you don’t have to be a unicorn to be special, beautiful and deserving of your dreams. Just ask Thelma! (Also, this one is a rhyming book and my girl absolutely loves reading along with me!)

What are your kids’–and your–favorite reads? I want to hear them all! We always love a new reading adventure.