The Millions

Goodnight World-Building

There’s no plot to Goodnight Moon, no characterization, no conflict. Every word written by Margaret Wise Brown and every detail illustrated by Clement Hurd is designed to build the illusion of comfort and stability—much in the same way that presents a galaxy of infinite possibilities that includes one where your spaceship’s starter refuses to turn over, or the way that depicts a version of middle school where you are actually special.

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