A journey into space and some serious monkey business portray bedtime in a whole new light, while a tiny dot gives a kindly lesson in understanding emotions

Spring is here, a fresh coat of paint splashed over the world, the sight of unfurling leaves and bright flowers giving many people an extra bounce in their step. Those longer days can bring a new challenge for anyone with little children, though: how to get them to sleep when the pesky sun is still beaming through the windows?

Just in time come two new picture books exploring bedtime. First up, Clare Helen Walsh’s mini science lesson wrapped up in a beautifully cosy tale which finds Miki and her mother flying off into space to find out why it’s still light, even though Miki has brushed her teeth and put on her PJs. While they zip past stars and planets, Sunshine at Bedtime (Storyhouse) scoots through the basics of how the Earth orbits the sun and how that causes seasons. Illustrator Sally Soweol Han characterises the sun with fluttery eyelashes and a huge smile, blushing each page with a soft glow.