Review of Stevie Tenderheart Books A Second Kiss Goodnight (A Bedtime Story)

[Gayatri Tripathi]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Stevie Tenderheart Books A Second Kiss Goodnight (A Bedtime Story)" by Steve William Laible.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Stevie Tenderheart Books A Second Kiss Goodnight (A Bedtime Story) by Steve William Laible is a children's book. Stevie is an imaginative boy whose parents make him sleep very early. He decides that he needs two kisses to help him sleep. He writes a letter to all the animals to ask them for goodnight kisses. Eventually, word gets out, and more and more animals start coming to wish him goodnight. Read the book yourself to find out what happens next.

This book is the third by Steve William Laible that I have read, the other two being Stevie Tenderheart Books: Billy Jack (The Great Escape) and Stevie Tenderheart Books WAIT A MINUTE! (An Illustrated Novella). Both of these books are exceptionally well-written and edited. I recommend these to anyone who wants more from the author. I appreciate the level of consistency in all his books. The author urges the readers to use their imaginations instead of relying on illustrations in this book to help young readers cultivate their creativity.

The book's core is celebrating and cherishing our lives and loved ones. Through the descriptions in the book, the author accurately describes a child's creative imagination. Even as an adult, I felt like a playful child while reading this book. Stevie is very interested in animals, as he considers and imagines even the slightest details related to each one. The author includes small details, like the existence of a midnight bowling league for street dwelling animals. These details make the book a fun read.

The book has a mixture of charm and humor. The words are easily understandable, and the thoughtful descriptions make it simple for the reader to visualize what is occurring in the story. These descriptions help the children use their imaginations and go beyond what any illustration can portray. I spotted a few subtle rhyming sentences in the text. I do not know whether these are intentional, but they give the writing a playful twist.

Overall, the book is charming and well-written. The writing is impeccable, and the descriptions make the events of the book spring to life. I found no grammatical errors in the text. Considering all the above points, I give this book a perfect rating of 5 out of 5 stars.

Ironically, this book about a boy trying to fall asleep would work very well as a bedtime story. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a charming children's book.

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Stevie Tenderheart Books A Second Kiss Goodnight (A Bedtime Story)
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[Aditya Mangleek]

This review really captured what I loved about the book. There’s something so sincere and whimsical about Stevie’s imagination—it reminds me of how kids can turn the simplest routines into magical adventures. The animal goodnight scene was my favorite too. It’s sweet without being overly sentimental. Definitely one of those books I’ll keep on hand for when my nieces visit!

[Aditya Mangleek]

Interesting take! While I liked the story, I didn’t love it as much as the other Stevie Tenderheart books—I felt like this one was a bit slower-paced. But I did enjoy the creativity, especially how it leans into a kid’s logic and imagination. The letter-writing bit was such a charming idea. I think younger readers would find a lot of joy here.

[Aditya Mangleek]

I enjoyed reading your thoughts, and I mostly agree! The writing really is clean and expressive, and I liked the idea of kids being nudged to imagine the scenes instead of relying on pictures. That said, I do wish the rhyming parts were used a bit more consistently—it would've added a nice rhythm to the bedtime feel. Still, it’s such a cozy and thoughtful story. Great pick for winding down.