Hello, friends! Our book today is Goodnight Lab: A Scientific Parody by Chris Ferrie, a STEM-inspired homage to the children’s classic Goodnight Moon.

Taking place in a modern research laboratory, the text follows in the footsteps of its model story, first introducing readers to the items around the lab (laser, spectrometer, a picture of Einstein “with a stern look”, etc.), then saying goodnight to them one by one.

Sorry to say, this one gets a solid “meh” from us. The concept is a clever one, but – to be frank – if you’re going to parody Goodnight Moon, you’d better come up with something that can measure up to one of the most famous children’s books of all time, and this one just didn’t. We enjoyed the use of the scientific vernacular, but perhaps could have used better explanations of what an “ammeter” or “spectrometer” was for young readers. The rhyme scheme was often uneven and clunky, and the blockish illustrations are bland. The length was fine, but JJ had trouble getting into it, and I don’t much blame her. This parody, despite its age recommendation, seems like more a novelty item for adults who have experience in science (evidenced by inclusions like “the grumpy old professor shouting ‘publish!’, for instance), and as such could make a fun gift for those in the STEM fields, especially soon-to-be parents. But overall, an underwhelming parody – we suggest the board books from the rest of Ferrie’s Baby University series instead.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)