This book melts my heart on many levels-as a mom, therapist, Christian, etc. This teaches children about fears and anxiety, giving them to God, and giving them hope that through prayer, casting your fears to the Lord, you can calm your anxious heart. I found the illustrations to be on point, and the story was hopeful and reassuring. As a mom who has a small child with anxiety, especially at night, it's helpful to have something like this book to read to him to show that he is not alone.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced readers' copy of Charlie Can't Sleep!

This book is a children's title for those who are scared of the dark. The title starts with a Bible verse from the Book of Psalms.

Such an adorable title for children who are scared of the dark. It touches on the emotions a child might feel before bedtime and puts it into a child's perspective throughout the book.

They were able to comfort the child with words from the Bible, which I thought was fantastic! The importance of God and how He never sleeps was also mentioned, and the parents remained patient as they comforted the little boy.

This is a beautifully illustrated and comforting bedtime story that captures the worries and restlessness many children feel at night. Rachel W. gently validates those big nighttime feelings while offering soothing words and imaginative imagery that help calm anxious minds. A wonderful read for winding down, especially for little ones who need a bit of reassurance before bed.

I really wanted to like this one but I read it to my child who has no problem sleeping in a dark room and actually falls asleep easily without help or soothing so when I was reading out all the things crossing Charlie's mind, he kept asking if these were things he had to be worried about. If your child isn't afraid to sleep, don't read this to them. But if they are and have these same concerns, this book could be incredibly helpful!

The story itself is warm and relatable (a little boy afraid of the dark and looking for comfort from his parents) something many families will connect with. The illustrations are also really sweet.

However, I was surprised by the strong religious focus, especially since the subtitle “Trusting God When You’re Afraid of the Dark” doesn’t appear on the cover I saw. As a non-religious reader, this made it feel less relevant for our family. I found myself skipping the pages with Bible verses, and personally would have preferred a version of this same story supported by insights from child development specialists or psychologists.

Still, for families who are raising their children in a Christian context, this could be a very comforting and faith-affirming read.

I just read this book with my child (she actually saw me scrolling NetGalley and pointed to it so I got it- so the cover definitely appeals to kids!!
This is a very sweet book with a wonderful message.
The use of Psalm 121 is wonderful for parent and child slide and this is a good way to learn a memory verse together.
There is a good lesson in this story, it can definitely help give a little one peace before bed, or a nap in my case as I read it to my child. I loved the illustrations and I will probably get a physical copy!

Perfect description of how a child will avoid going to bed while the parents are still up - but also of the fears a child has of being alone in the dark. For those who have a faith in God, it's a good explanation for children of God being with them in the dark. Applies to us adults too when we are in a dark night of the soul. The illustrations are lovely.

I wanted to start by thanking the author and publisher for an opportunity to read an early/advanced release copy of this book. I thought this was a pretty good book for kids.

Poor Charlie is so afraid of going to sleep at night that he will do anything to put off going to bed. Once he admits he’s scared I loves that his parents used scriptures to help him understand that God is always on guard for him and helps to alleviate his fears. After that Charlie is ready to sleep and no longer afraid.

Charlie Can’t Sleep

This wonderful book gives peace of mind based on scripture to soothe children’s fears about going to sleep. The words from the Bible about God’s protection in the beautifully illustrated sweet family story here are timeless. The ageless combination of text and pictures makes the book one that families should definitely consider as a valuable addition to their home libraries.

I'm glad I read through this one on my own before reading to my daughter. There are plenty of things in this book (robbers, snakes, sinkholes) that would make her more scared of bedtime than she already is. It may have a message grounded in religion, but it didn't need to be scary to get there. The illustrations are beautifully done.

Thank you to InterVarsity Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This book was okay. I worried that my son would be scared — that the book would bring ideas into his head — snakes, sinkholes, etc., so I definitely skipped over the parts that mentioned these items. It was okay. But I definitely removed a lot of the scary ideas since my kiddo is afraid of the dark!

In this bedtime book, a little boy is afraid to go to sleep, because he feels nervous about nighttime noises and is afraid of being alone. His parents are gentle and kind throughout his delay tactics, and they talk him through his fears, encouraging him with Psalm 121. The story is relatable and sweet, and the illustrations are beautiful. They have a soft, classic feel, and the colors are nice.

Parents of especially sensitive children should know that this book might introduce new fears. This book has a very reassuring message, but it also describes specific things that Charlie is worried about, like there being snakes in the toilet. Some kids may find these frightening ideas more memorable and affecting than the story's message.

This is a lovely, well-written book with great illustrations, which tackles the familiar concept of bedtime fears in a distinctly Christian way, without feeling preachy. The story represents a Christian family's interactions in a way that feels authentic and meaningful, and the message can encourage both kids and parents.

I love the idea of this book. Most children are afraid of the dark at some point, and how you handle it as a parent can make a world of difference. This is a book that will take you to Scripture and prayer to help put those fears to rest.
However, I could not have read this to one of my children when they were little and afraid of the dark. Because werewolves? Snakes in the toilet? These things would be new ideas for my child and only make them more afraid. My other child would not have given those things a second thought and would have truly loved this story.
So, handle it as you think best because you know your child best. This beautifully illustrated book is a wonderful tool for bringing the comfort and reassurance only found in the Bible and trust in God.
*I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I will for sure be buying this for my 5-year-old! This story is so helpful in teaching the littles to set aside their worries and put their trust in God.

A little nighttime tale for your little one who has nighttime anxiety. A sweet tale to help a little person not feel so alone at night. My nephew loved the artwork on this one and said it reminded him of I Will Love You Forever.

Overall: 5 🌟
Lesson: 5📍
Illustrations: 5 🖌️

"Mom's Review"
Upfront, this is a Christian children's book, so you can expect a lovely tie-in to scripture. Specifically, Psalm 121, and it's done well. The interaction between parents and Charlie are realistic and relatable.

As a parent, the delay tactics in pushing bedtime back farther and farther are classics and you'll smile when you recognize them, either from your personal childhood repertoire or your own littles begging for a few extra minutes.

Gorgeous illustrations!

A giant thank you to Rachel Joy Welcher, InterVarsity Press, IVP Kids, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this beautiful story.

All opinions are our own.

(Full "Traveling Family" review to come)

Cute if you're religious

Charlie can't sleep at night. He's afraid of the dark, of being alone, of somehow not having anyone there for him. Instead of understanding and reassuring him, his parents chose religion - god is always there, god never sleeps. This seems to calm Charlie and allow him to sleep at night. I think this is a pretty good book for when you want to raise your children with the Christian faith. For those who don't there are plenty of books that follow attachment parenting and have other, maybe more long term solutions.

This is such a sweet picture book about a boy named Charlie who can't sleep and in his anxiousness, His parents point Him to the truth that the Lord is always with Him and what scripture says. This is one I will for sure be purchasing when it releases! Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. 4.5 Stars rounded up.

I will start off by saying I am not religious. However, I think this was a beautifully written children’s book. I think it touché upon something many kids fear in their childhood.
The illustrations were beautiful and I loved the art work style.