This beautifully illustrated, calming picture book takes readers on a peaceful exploration of a night-time landscape. Snuggle down for a magical, moonlit adventure, follow a tiny star and dance with a whole host of animals. But is it all a dream? With stunning artwork and lyrical text, this is a story to treasure and a perfect book to read before bed. Die-cuts let you peep through the pages and gentle text encourages a mindful approach to a busy mind at bedtime.

A Happy Place by Britta Teckentrup is a young children’s picture book. The plot revolves around a young girl trying to find what makes her happy at night with some help from the stars.

The story has been written in such a way that you are not sure whether the girl is living the moments or whether she is dreaming. I hope that she is dreaming given that she walks out of her home, alone, into the dead of night, into the woods, and past a river to find her happy place.

The illustrations are delightful to look at and I love the dark colours and the silhouettes of the animals, with an added splash of brightness from the moon or stars. The book certainly has a calming feel to it and it also has cut-out sections within that heighten the joy.

Overall, A Happy Place is a delightful children’s book that is perfect for a bedtime story.

Britta Teckentrup is an award-winning illustrator and author, having written and illustrated over 80 children’s picture books that have been published in over 20 different countries. After 17 years in the UK, Britta now lives and works in Berlin with her Scottish husband, son Vincent and their old cat Oskar.