Goodnight, Mr. Darcy: A Book Review

(Amazon)

"And there were three officers sitting on chairs

And Lydia and Kitty

Who were sure they looked pretty

And Mr. Darcy surprised by a pair of fine eyes..."

~Goodnight Mr. Darcy

Well, would you look at this-- the P&P95Forever Club is giving their first official review and endorsement!  (Okay, I don't know if this really counts as an endorsement... but we can call it that if we want to, right?  It makes us sound more professional and important.)

Today we'd like to bring you a review of the delightful new children's book Goodnight Mr. Darcy.  You've probably heard of Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, which is winsome and adorable and snuggly in its own right, but-- dare I say it?-- Goodnight Mr. Darcy is better.

Because Pride and Prejudice, that's why.

Goodnight Mr. Darcy is one of the BabyLit parodies from Gibbs Smith, and basically it takes a children's classic (Goodnight Moon), mashes it with an adult classic (P&P) and produces a sweet piece of fiction that every Janeite parent should get for their child.  Gibbs Smith contacted us a while ago asking if we'd be willing to review the book, and since they're super nice, they sent us a free copy.  We say "us," but the book went to Miss Dashwood, who will be keeping it until one of us gets married and has a baby (hopefully in the far distant future, haha), at which time the book will go to the child, whom we hope will duly appreciate it and be trained up in the way in which he or she should go.

Introducing small children to classics is a great and wonderful thing, and what better way to do it than through a sweet, colorful picture book that will soothe them to sleep AND help them get to know some of the greatest characters who have ever graced the pages of English literature?

The story, wittily written by Kate Coombs and accompanied by charming illustratons from Alli Arnold, chronicles an evening at the Netherfield ball, hinting at the romance between Jane and Mr. Bingley (and the forthcoming mush between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy), complete with slightly snarky references to Mrs. Bennet and her three very silly younger daughters.  We highly recommend it to Janeites both young and old (and most especially for infants, who can never begin learning too young).