Goodnight Night Sweats: A Parody for the Menopausal

by Mina Pauze

A laugh-out-loud parody of Goodnight Moon for any woman approaching (or deep in the throes of) menopause, written and illustrated under pseudonyms by publishing veteran Brenda Bowen and award-winning artist Jessie Hartland.

Riffing on the classic children’s book Goodnight Moon , Goodnight Night Sweats takes on “the change” with big heart and humor. Through playful prose and witty illustrations, Haut Flasch and Mina Pauze explore the trials of menopause (and perimenopause)―hot flashes, mood swings, too much hair some places, too little others. At the same time, they cheer for the freedom that comes with getting older―goodbye, cramps! hello hard-won wisdom!―as they celebrate the fabulousness of women of a certain age.

Genres: Humor, Self Help, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 26, 2024

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm running out of time to finish up my 2025 Popsugar Reading Challenge. Normally I have it done by June or so, but I got kind of distracted by ARCs this year because there were a lot of really awesome books about witches, and I can't resist a good witchy read. Anyway, I needed “a book that features a character going through menopause” and this was the shortest one I could find. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm not menopausal but this was a cute read nonetheless. And I did evict my uterus back in 2021, so there were definitely parts that were relatable. There's not a whole lot to this book—it has about as many words as you'd expect for a parody of Goodnight Moon—but it has its funny moments. And the illustrations are fantastic. They're very Goodnight Moon-esque and I LOL'd at the image of her floating around on a gigantic maxi pad with her cat.

It's hard to rate a book that (by design) doesn't have much of a plot or character development, but it's entertaining enough. Goodnight Night Sweats is a humorous story that takes on both the good and not-so-good parts of menopause, and it makes you want to celebrate being a Woman of a Certain Age … and to ride on a gigantic winged pad with your favorite feline companion.

3.6 stars, rounded up.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I am not in the menopause, but I couldn't resist this book. The title just sounded fun + we definitely need more books to normalise the menopause, hopefully by the time I get there we got more books like this so I can read more about it. In this book we meet a woman who is in menopause and learn about the good of menopause (no more cramps, no more bleeding, no more need to dye your hair (ha, I think I would start dyeing my hair at that age)) and the bad (sweats, not sleeping, sadness about losing who you were before). It was a really fun read and I love how it got more positive with each page. The illustrations were also a lot of fun! All in all, a fun/nice book about the menopause.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny!! This is my life!!

[Marian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was hilarious perfect for anyone over 40!

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a hilarious parody this is! For those of you who have been following Give Peas a Chance since my first lunch post in 2007 . For my oldest child who is now a full-on (young) adult by the way, yikes! Some of you were young mothers like I was and I loved learning from you all. Sharing lunches, recipes, and crafts, mostly on my Facebook page. We used to pack lunches in the morning and tuck our kids in at night and recite (because by the fifth time it was requested I know you memorized it) Goodnight Moon before kissing those babies. Now here we are. If you're anything like me your body is a vile betrayer and doing all sorts of wrong things, at the wrong times, for no reason at all. Well, to you all I raise a glass in solidarity and present to you:

Goodnight Night Sweats
A Parody for the Menopausal (and their Perimenopausal Friends)
by Haut Flasch and Mina Pauze (Brenda Bowen and Jessie Hartland)

I laughed. I groaned. I may have had a hot flash in between. Who among us was fully prepared for this stage in our lives? Not I! I heard of night sweats... did you know that they also come DURING THE DAY!? Why am I constantly sweating? Who turned the heat on in here!? Are you SURE I'm not premenopausal, doc? Surely there is SOMETHING you can do for me? I hope you ladies have a tribe that you can grumble to about all the trials of menopause AND celebrate all the freedoms that come with it together!

Grab a copy of this for all of your girlfriends and let's celebrate our hard-won battle scars (after this hot flash passes!), toss our silver manes of wisdom, and walk proudly into this new season of life together.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

I received this book from NetGalley and Zando Publishing for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are on my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Hope Griffin Diaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every post menopausal woman needs this book in hardcopy!

Good Night Sweats, a "hot" take on the children's classic, Goodnight Moon, by Haut Flasch & Mina Pause (aka Brenda Bowen and Jessie Hartland), had me laughing so loud my husband leaned out the door of the office to see if I was laughing or wheezing. Any women who has taken the menopause journey will read this with delight as the proclamations of getting over the first stages of hitting menopause turn into what we become grateful for in this next stage of life. As we look back at those pictures of who we were and now make new pictures of who we are and accept our sags and grays and rounded bellies.

The illustrations are packed with fun little tributes to the life of the woman transitioning from ovulator to permanently closed sign. The cat was a welcome companion. That boat did me in with its hilarity.

I liked this book so much I would buy it for myself! Definite 5 stars🌟

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Zando, for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 180 of 200 ~ 2023

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is bloody brilliant. Done in the style of a kid's picture book, I resonated with most of the book as I suspect I am peri-menopausal early on due to my various treatments the past almost 14 years.

Told in a smart and witty way, I highly recommend this cleverly done book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#book180of200 #amreading #netgalley #tbrpile #instareads #readstagram
#reading #bookreview #bookreviewer #booklover #booksAreLife #booksForTheWin #thisbookfairyisreading #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagramfeature #bookshelf #booksofinstagram #bookish #bookworm #goodreads #booklovers #theSGbookfairyReads #theSGtrekkiereads #bookaholic #bookaddict #bookchallenge2023 #reviews #lovebooks #booknerds

[Jennifer T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodnight Night Sweats is a hilarious adult homage to Goodnight Moon, with the target audience being ladies going thru perimenopause and menopause. I am the target audience for this and I loved it! The artwork is colorful and whimsical. We need more books like this to discuss something 50% of the population goes thru yet it’s shrouded in secrecy, hopefully my Gen X and Xennial generations can change this cultural taboo.

I definitely recommend this to women aged 35 and above with a sense of humor.

Thanks to the authors and publisher for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.

[Sharondblk · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a laugh-out-loud parody of Goodnight Moon. While it runs through the normal menopause stereotypes / symptoms (hot sweats, mood swings et al) it is ultimately celebratory and empowering, as well as very funny. My friends and I are heading into that stage of life and I think this picture book for grown-ups will make a perfect gift for the 50th birthday parties that will be coming up in the next couple of years. The illustrations are perfect. Such fun.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Good Night Moon parody - this one pokes fun at the horrors of menopause, and ends on a happy note with a look at how wonderful life can be without a monthly visit from Aunt Flo. This would be a nice gift for anyone caught in the throes, as it serves to remind us that, indeed, the best years are yet to come.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zando for the read.

[RamblingsWithEmily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Goodnight Night Sweats by Haut Flasch and Mina Pauze is a cute and fun way to read about the different aspects of menopause. It introduces the changes that naturally happen and occur in a way that’s easy to talk about. A few of the women in my life are reaching that age, and this is a great way to learn about more than just the night sweats and hot flashes, and know how one can maybe talk about it with the women in their life.

[DM Branscum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really cute book that seeks to normalize a subject that is often taboo. Yes, menopause brings a lot of negatives (OMG the mood swings and night sweats, uggghhh!) But there are some good things that coincide with it! This would make a fun gift.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely hilarious and I highly recommend it as a gift book for anyone within shouting range of menopause. The satire was spot on, and the jokes followed the pattern from the original (you'll see when you read it).
Please read this if you are going through menopause, if you have already, if you love someone who has...
Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the EArc. For all my ladies going through this life change this is a hoot. The text and illustrations are so true and so cute. Perfect little gift for any woman in your life dealing with this next phase of womanhood.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty funny parody of Goodnight Moon, which is one of my favorite children's book (along with Rainbow Fish). Anyone who's dealt with hormones will get a kick out of this. I really enjoyed the book and the artwork kept my interest.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received at complementary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the author and the publisher.
This is a cute book for anyone who is entering or in menopause. It's set up similar to the classic children's book Good Night Moon. It has a lot of illustrations, and the rhyming is on point for the topic of night sweats.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to buy this one for my own personal collection. I was in tears from laughter throughout the whole book because I could relate so much to it. I will be gifting this to all my friends for their birthdays this coming year. Amazing job!!

[Shelly Pardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every woman should get this book, and every man should read it and understand the women going through it. I have been stressed the past few days, went to the bookstore and read it when I got home. It was the first time I smiled and laughed in a few weeks. 🤙🌷🌻

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Playful and funny send-up of Goodnight Moon for women of a certain age. Perfectly executed- would make a great gift for your bunco lady friends.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an older woman's version of a childhood classic. Clever parody with the agenda to normalize and talk about menopause. Would make a good gift. ARC from NetGalley

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hysterical book about menopause that approaches it like a parody of Good Night Moon. I literally laughed out loud a few times.

Thank you Netgalley and Zando for the ARC!

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books like this. A great idea and a bit of fun.. but it's sooo short! So short that I honestly thought I was missing at least half the book and went to double check. Women empowering women 🫶

[Katie Wascisin Hathaway]

So funny and relatable! I love how this book takes a children's classic and turns it into a laugh out loud funny book about one of life's biggest changes for a human.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious! Goodnight moon was a favorite read when my kiddos were little and now Goodnight Night Sweats is great for when that time comes.

[Patricia Strot · Rating 5 out of 5]

HILARIOUS! What a fun read!!

[Michelle Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel seen!!

I’m in perimenopause and I feel validated by this book!!

[Lady Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book from a GoodReads giveaway, which I appreciate. This book is funny. I will give it a proper review as soon as I have a little more time on my hands.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very quick read. Although I am not at the menopausal stage of my life yet, I found this to be funny.

*Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.*