Bedtime Hugs for Little Ones (by Debby Boone)

Beginning with, "You can say 'I love you' almost any time" and ending with, "You are loved just as you are right this very moment," this gentle bedtime book has some worthwhile thoughts in between. Perhaps most valuable is the way it captures the innocence of childhood wonder and curiosity, then turns it into something the whole family can talk about. The illustrations enthralled 2- and 3-year-olds, and the variety of story types, from feel-good to downright funny, keep children interested.

This is the first book by singer-actress Debby Boone and her husband, illustrator Gabriel Ferrer. The text reads like a dialogue that the author -- or any parent -- might have with her kids. Ferrer's illustrations are colorful and enhance the book's overall visual appeal. They are, however, evidently portrayals of the Boone-Ferrer children -- all blond hair and fair skin -- which may deter parents looking for ethnically diverse images.