This was the first Orthodox board book I ever saw or owned. We have gone through 2 copies amongst my 4 kids and I have gifted it to all my godsons and many of the kids at our parish. Note the bite marks and worn cover above! If you want a comforting, lyrical, and sturdy book for toddlers and babies, then this is an excellent choice.

With illustrations that are definitely Orthodox and a variety of familiar saints, this board book captures the attention of the littlest ones and is easily read out loud by emerging readers. An excellent bedtime go-to to focus our thoughts on God and family before rest.

In case you already own “Goodnight Jesus,” then another excellent addition to your liturgy bag or night stand is “I Pray Today.” We were gifted this by my youngest daughter’s godmother when she was baptized. In this book as the children go through their day from breakfast to bedtime, they repeat the prayer Lord have Mercy. This one is especially great for helping little ones memorize a short prayer or begin to pray for themselves. I also appreciate the various activities where the children turn to prayer to help them refocus.

If you have kids under 5, then I would recommend you add this to your nightly rocking chair reading time. Or if you have many small children at your local parish, consider donating a copy of each to the church school nursery class teacher or if you have a basket of books for kids to look at during Liturgy, these are excellent choices!

Both can be purchased from the Ancient Faith Store: https://store.ancientfaith.com/goodnight-jesus-board-book/