Review: Laila Tov, Grover!
Laila Tov, Grover!
by Joni Sussman, illustrated by Tom Leigh
Kar-Ben Publishing (imprint of Lerner), 2025
Category: Board Books
Reviewer: Sarah Clarke
It’s time for bed, Grover! This sweet board book, featuring everyone’s favorite Sesame Street monster Grover, follows a nightly bedtime routine. It is the fifth book in Kar-Ben’s Shalom Sesame series. We follow our pal, Grover, as he puts on pajamas, brushes his teeth, listens to his Imma read him a bedtime story, says Shema, snuggles with his stuffed bunny and receives kisses from Imma before it’s lights out. He is off to sleep; Laila Tov, Grover! While this board book is short, only 12 pages, it truly hones in on the subject of (re)introducing little ones to a nightly routine. It uses thoughtfully crafted sentences that are direct and use ordinary language. The illustrations showcase a familiar friend, doing things that many children already do each night. There is no confusion as to what is shown in each spread, helping young readers improve their visual literacy. The illustrations in this book are soft and set the tone for a peaceful night’s sleep.
This book has a certain universality to it that all children can appreciate, though it is unmistakably Jewish. The Judaism within this book can be seen in Grover’s bedtime book choice, Jewish Folktales, in the spread about Grover saying Shema, and of course, on Grover’s bunny’s head (tiny yarmulke, anyone?) Regardless of the stream of Judaism or even religion practiced, this book clearly sets an appropriate routine that most children do each night. If a non-Jewish child picked this up, they would still relate. Maybe they don’t say Shema, but they do say their religion’s nightly prayer. It’s still relevant and can open up a door into a conversation about differences! Overall, while the Judaism to this book is central, it can still be appreciated by those who do not identify as Jewish.
This book has a certain universality to it that all children can appreciate, though it is unmistakably Jewish. The Judaism within this book can be seen in Grover’s bedtime book choice, Jewish Folktales, in the spread about Grover saying Shema, and of course, on Grover’s bunny’s head (tiny yarmulke, anyone?) Regardless of the stream of Judaism or even religion practiced, this book clearly sets an appropriate routine that most children do each night. If a non-Jewish child picked this up, they would still relate. Maybe they don’t say Shema, but they do say their religion’s nightly prayer. It’s still relevant and can open up a door into a conversation about differences! Overall, while the Judaism to this book is central, it can still be appreciated by those who do not identify as Jewish.
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Reviewer Sarah Clarke is the Head of Children’s Services for Great Neck Library, on Long Island, NY. When she’s not working, or reading, she can be found at home with her family (probably still reading).
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