Sleep tight, Platypup by Renee Treml

Penguin Random House Australia, 2019. ISBN: 9780143789697.
(Ages: 2-5) Recommended. Themes: Platypus, Night time, Fear. This is a sweet bedtime book about conquering fear of the dark. A young platypus, named Platypup, wakes up in his burrow: 'Shadows moved across the burrow walls. Something rustled outside'. He's all alone and he is frightened. 'Mummy! Mummy!' he calls. Mummy doesn't tell him he is being silly. She gives him a big hug and helps him to understand the night. She takes him outside and asks him what he can see and hear. He sees the wattle tree, the rocks and the big old gumtree; just like during the day. He hears leaves whispering and grasses shifting in the wind; just like during the day. That's not scary at all, Platypup decides. After a moonlight swim Mummy tucks Platypup back in the burrow; 'now you must sleep and dream and grow', she says.
We manage to learn a little about platypus habitats and habits, but mainly this is a beautiful story about how everything is just as familiar at night time as it is during the day if we can relax and think clearly. The illustrations are simple but warm and emotional, effectively depicting movement, sound and the calm of night. This will be very useful with children who do have a fear of the dark, but is a beautiful bedtime story for any young child.
Nicole Nelson