ALA Booklist (Tue Jan 03 00:00:00 CST 2023)

In this companion to Dahl and Forshay's Goodnight Baseball (2013), a boy attends a football game with his family. They arrive on a bus, sit in the bleachers, and cheer while the teams take the field and play the game. For the first two-thirds of the book, the pace of the rhyming, rhythmic text is quick and even, but after the game, it downshifts into a slower, sleepier meter. Now the family leaves the stands, waves good-bye to the players, cheerleaders, and band, and goes home to bed: "Goodnight, bleachers. Goodnight, fans. Goodnight field and concession stands. Goodnight, mascot. We'll come back soon. Goodnight, goalposts. Goodnight, moon." The last picture shows the African American boy in bed asleep, holding his football like a cuddly toy. In the illustrations, there's racial diversity on and off the field as a community comes together to enjoy their favorite fall sport. Given the short supply of football-themed picture books accessible to young children, this cheerful bedtime book looks like a winner.

Horn Book (Tue Jan 03 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Rhyming text narrates a boy's trip to an evening football game. As the game comes to an exciting end, he bids farewell: "Goodnight mascot. We'll come back soon. / Goodnight goalposts. Goodnight moon." Colorful illustrations burst with the orange of bright lights, softened by midnight blue. The football-centered verse is often strained, but the fun of the loving family's outing comes through.

School Library Journal (Tue Jan 03 00:00:00 CST 2023)

PreS-Gr 1 It's Friday night, the stadium lights are up, and fans are wrapped up in scarves and hats, sipping hot chocolate. Simple rhyming text and bright, full-bleed, autumn-hued illustrations highlight the excitement of concession stands, the band, and the gridiron heroics of one little boy's favorite team. Nestled between his parents and sister, the little boy watches with the exuberance and knowledge of a seasoned fan as the game progresses. The text introduces football related vocabulary like "receiver," "quarterback," "possessions," and "end zone" for very young sports enthusiasts. When the game is over, the child bids goodnight to the people and places he passes on his way out of the stadium, saying, "Goodnight, mascot./We'll come back soon./Goodnight,/goalposts./Goodnight,/moon." This title will likely appeal to young nonfiction readers and sports fans who aren't ready for the typical fact-filled football books for older readers. The diversity present in the fans and on the football team is an accurate reflection of real sports and makes this a welcome addition to other fall picture books. Jenna Boles, Greene County Public Library, Beavercreek, OH