Review by Angie Carlson

Capturing the complex emotions associated with bedtime, Slumberina tells the story of a little girl struggling with bedtime anxiety and the unexpected hero who helps her overcome it. 

The book begins by acknowledging that bedtime can be “hard. . . really hard”, and young readers will learn that they aren’t alone in their complicated feelings about falling asleep on their own at night.

With children surrounded by people all day, being all alone (especially at night) can be scary and overwhelming. Adorable illustrations depict a familiar scene — a perfectly calibrated bedtime routine that creates a calm and cozy atmosphere with lullabies, bedtime stories, and stuffed animals.

But, when the lights go out and the little girl is left alone, her anxiety rises. She begins to overanalyze dark corners and faint creaks as she lies powerless in her bed. She tried to combat her imagination, but panicky thoughts multiply and her body follows suit with aches in predictable (and silly) places. It’s not long before the little girl calls out for her parents.

Grown-ups everywhere will recognize these tried-and-true stalling tactics — a drink of water, a bathroom break — whatever children can think of to prevent being alone.  The hamster wheel now extends to parents who know how vital sleep is to growing, healthy children. Should we stay until she falls asleep?  How can we help the situation without making it worse?

Enter the Tooth Fairy’s tiny friend: Slumberina. In a letter to the girl, the Tooth Fairy explains that Slumberina’s job is to ensure all is well throughout the night so she can sleep peacefully and without concern. 

The next night, the girl and her parents recite a poem to call Slumberina, and she finds herself reassured, trusting that the dark corners and little creaks are nothing to worry about now that her tiny fairy is on the case.

Author Vicki Bries Rieder created the character of Slumberina through a lovingly-crafted letter from the Tooth Fairy to her own daughter — serving as the inspiration for the picture book available today. Now, Slumberina can help more children create better bedtime habits and avoid long-term challenges with sleep anxiety. 

Enabling children to self-soothe is a tricky business, and parents often look to creative ideas including placebo solutions to help. Studies have shown that “belief” or expectation in a positive outcome has mental, emotional, and physical healing benefits. Research-backed books, such as It’s the Thought That Counts: Why Mind Over Matter Really Works by David R Hamilton, PhD, continue to compile these studies for mainstream readers.

Slumberina, a whimsical solution to sleep anxiety, trains children to calm their nervous system through their thoughts and beliefs, as opposed to taking a melatonin gummy, spraying for monsters, or receiving back tickles until they fall asleep—which are all action-oriented. Teaching children that the power to calm anxiety and fear is already built into their own minds is a gift that will last a lifetime.

For parents of young children, there’s no shame in finding a safe solution for easing bedtime anxiety.  Once regular habits are formed, the need for that solution fades, and the child is left with a properly functioning nervous system at bedtime.

Slumberina is a hidden gem for children suffering from bedtime anxiety, as it introduces a new solution from a trusted source, the Tooth Fairy, that helps ease little nervous systems and creates a gentler path to falling asleep.