Goodnight Dragon

I’ll admit, I approached *Goodnight Dragon* skeptical that yet another bedtime audiobook could stand out. But within 30 seconds, Adam James’ narration—equal parts warm and winking—had me hooked. His dragon isn’t just going through the motions; he’s *performing* bedtime, with the theatrical flair of a kid who’s convinced brushing his teeth is actually a quest. The pacing is *brisk*—no dawdling here—but James knows when to linger, like the exaggerated sigh before “fine, I’ll floss,” or the way he stretches out “gooooodnight” like a dragon resisting sleep. The sound design is understated but brilliant: the *scritch-scritch* of claws on stone, the *pop* of a tiny flame. It’s immersive without being overproduced, a balance too many children’s audiobooks miss. That said, it’s not flawless. The rhyme scheme occasionally feels forced (a couple of lines land with a thud rather than a *whoosh*), and the ending, while sweet, wraps up a tad abruptly—almost as if the dragon got *too* sleepy mid-sentence. Still, these are quibbles. What *Goodnight Dragon* lacks in poetic finesse, it makes up for in sheer, infectious fun. My 5-year-old demanded three replays in a row, and I didn’t even groan. High praise. For parents desperate to make bedtime less of a battle, this is a secret weapon—just don’t blame me when your kid starts “practicing fire breath” with their toothbrush.