Good Night, Toucan

Toucan decides to throw a slumber party for his best friends and is thrilled that they will all be coming. His excitement quickly fades to fear when the expectation for this event becomes impossibly high. When his friends say his party will be “perfect” or “the best”, Toucan worries that his event will fall short of expectations. Toucan stresses over every detail, making sure the party is as amazing as his friends are imagining. When his party guests arrive, Toucan is still running errands to ensure everything goes smoothly for the party. The party-goers only notice one thing that is missing- the host of the slumber party. Toucan learns that his friends didn’t come for the decorations, lights, and food- but to spend time with him.

This story shows that personal connections are far more important than superficial details. Author and illustrator, Joanne Parris displays emotions beautifully through each characters’ expressions. Toucan’s emotions and vulnerability are extremely relatable for kids that feel the need to be perfect. Good Night, Toucan is an excellent way to approach event-related anxiety for children ages three to seven.