365 Bedtime Stories: A Story for Every Day of the Year about the Children on What-a-Jolly Street

by Nan Gilbert

Here are all the most famous and most enjoyable bedtime stories under one cover. Included among those stories are Aladin and His Lamp, Sinbad the Sailor, and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. These stories will keep you awake, wondering what happens next. 365 Bedtime Stories in all.

Genres: Childrens, Classics

1104 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

A pen name used by Mildred Geiger Gilbertson (1908-1988). Under the pen name Jo Mendel Mildred Geiger Gilbertson wrote the following Tuckers books: Trouble on Valley View, Adventures of Plum Tucker, Tell a Tale of Tuckers, Turnabout Summer, and One Big Happy Family.

Reviews

[Sheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cover is so wrong...

This is the absolute bestest daily bedtime stories book! My great-aunt gave us a copy with the original 1955 illustrations when I was little, but we lost it in a move, and I looked and looked and looked for something half as good, but found nothing that remotely compared except Bible story books, which are not quite the same thing.

While many books have an individual story for each day, in this book the stories are all somehow linked to the families on Trufflescootums Boulevard (aka "What A Jolly Street"), which is a cul-de-sac across from a school, with a little grocery on the corner, up against a sizable creek, with farmland and an orchard right near. Some of the stories, while complete, have a "to be continued" feel that spreads over a few days or an even longer time (one "mystery" lasts months), which gives the book as a whole surprising depth, IMHO. This is a time when spaghetti is an exotic food and all the moms are homemakers and it's very much another era, yet many of the lessons and activities shown are timeless.

I found a copy of the stories shortly after I got married, much to my delight, but the illos were wrong and the stories slightly modernized and "laid out wrong" (in the original volume each story gets one or two pages to itself; the reprint I have they're more crunched together), but once the Internet came along I managed to track down the 'right' version, and while I recognized the original illustrations with great joy, I was surprised to discover that my brain had "reshaped" things. In my mind, David and Ruth Barret were of Jewish heritage (and remain so), while the Lings were oriental, and the Browns African-American, however the illustrations do not support this interpretation.

Which did not bother my child-self at all (I just assumed the artist wasn't accurate), while my adult self sees the location as so idyllic and unreal I can still see it as such a mixed-race neighborhood despite the 1950s midwest setting. Heh.

At any rate, my 16-year-old daughter remembers these tales so fondly she has requested that I re-read them to the kids still at home this upcoming year. Interesting to see how that goes.

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book as a child. I remember looking forward to the story each night and then a few years later reading them to my younger brother. This is the sort of book that stays with you throughout your life. I went on to read it to my children and hopefully one day will read it to my grandchildren. It's old and worn and the pages are falling out which shows it is a much loved book.

[Steve Rainwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kiddo. The stories themselves are mostly boring Dick-and-Jane type stuff but I was fascinated by the continuity of 365 different stories that all take place in the same universe. I expect it was somehow responsible for my later attraction to science fiction authors such as Heinlein who created coherent fictional universes in which numerous stories and novels co-exist.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father read this to me and my brother every night with this book that must have been from his youth cuz the fucker was old. I tried to find it on eBay but since so many people gots the nostalgia for dis book, it's like $40+. It's on my wishlist, as I collect the pleasant memories of my youth.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books when I was a child! I loved all the families on What A Jolly Street and always wished I lived on a street like that! When my kids were little I looked all over for a copy for them but never was able to find one. This is a true classic!

[Roberta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had completely forgotten about this book till I saw it on Ebay. I remember that I loved the illustrations.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book when I was little. I have been searching for a copy for my own kids. Loved the stories & the little lessons in them!

[Sonia Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A schoolmate lent me her copy of this wonderful book...

I tried to get it online but the prices were way beyond what I could pay, then I visited the classmate and she had the book after all these years...

Read it once more and another time...I feel such a sense of satisfaction to see all those children from Jolly Street.

[WillowRaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mom would read to me from this book when I was very young - 1 page per day, the corresponding date. Short stories or poems for each day, and even the holidays had their own story/prose/poem. I loved this book!!

[MaryAlice]

I do not remember this cover, so am guessing it is the same book my oldest sister used to read to me before bedtime. As I learned to read, I re-visited stories, picking and choosing the ones I liked, rather than start to end as my sister did.

I either had a copy or borrowed my sister's when I started having children of my own. Again, I skipped around, because some of the stories bored me.

[Lynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently found this at a thrift shop, and recognized the cover instantly. A wonderful step back to the child's world of the 60's, and fun to note all the politically incorrect content!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother bought me this wonderful book the year it was published. I still have it and read it to my grandchildren.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really fond memories of reading this book, over and over again. I could never get enough of my friends on What-A-Jolly Street.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aunt Kate gave this to Teddy at last New Year's Fidler Family book party - this was a childhood favorite of hers and my mom's.

There are stories for every day of the year - starting on January 1st and ending on December 31st. These stories follow the children, families, and pets on What-a-Jolly Street throughout the year. We tried to read one per day, although in reality we did have to play catch-up at times. We all enjoyed the stories and Teddy especially loved following the exploits of everyone on What-a-Jolly Street. He even learned a lot about different holidays and also got a window into a different time and culture in the US too. This was a special book to bond with in 2021 and we loved finishing it right on December 31st!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bet book EVER!

[Nancy Freeman]

The time period in which these stories are set is as distant to today's kids as the Victorian Era was to its original audience. This makes it difficult to assign a star rating. Do you read it as period fiction? As a warm, self-indulgent slurp of nostalgia? Do you read it unadulterated to your own littles? (I certainly wouldn't without first preparing for awkward questions like "Why are there no TVs?" and "What's a black mammy doll?") Still one has to admire the craft of Nan Gilbert in cranking out 365 stories, 200-300 words each, teaching values like hard work, honesty and charity; crafts and games; history, holidays, and fun (if sometimes condescending) facts about other countries - all using age-appropriate vocabulary and grammar.

As a child of the 1960s who owned this book I do have to say that it's a decidedly satisfying nostalgia read.
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My (re-)reading notes follow.
The evidence suggests that these stories were written between the First and Second World Wars (most likely the 1930s), possibly for serialization, and were updated for this collection published in 1955.
* In November, there are two stories for Veteran's Day, one of which is clearly an Armistice Day story with a couple lines added for Veteran's Day. This is the only reference to WWII in the entire book, and elsewhere WWI is called "The World War".
* According to one of the "Tommy Tumbleweed" stories, Canada has no zoos. The oldest zoo in Canada was established in 1918. I'll be charitable and say the author was working from outdated references.
* Pan American Day, first celebrated in the US in 1931, is a major holiday.
* The Watsons' pet monkey (why is the author fascinated with that stupid monkey?) is a retired organ grinder's monkey. NYC banned organ grinders in 1936.
* Spaghetti is a weird ethnic food that children don't like, in one story set in June. About a month later one of the children declares that spaghetti and meatballs is her favorite dinner. Written years apart, pre- and post-Chef Boyardee?
* Mrs. Apricot grew up on a homestead during the early Plains Wars or their immediate run up, which would make her no younger than 90 at the time this book was published. Also, one of the children has a grandfather who's a Civil War Veteran, and I've possibly given more thought to this timeline than the author.