Goodnight Trump: An Unauthorised Parody is a board book for adults by NYT best-selling author Erich Origen and Gan Golan. Very much in the style of Goodnight Moon, in the very classy room sits Donald, looking very much the spoiled child so many believe him to be, surrounded by all the elements of his presidency. The clever illustrations and rhyming text itemise these and, thanks to the media and copious tweets, they will be familiar to everyone.

Yes, this book quite closely parallels Goodnight Moon in style, setting and illustrations, but obviously with significant differences. This is a quick read and should be read more than once, because each reading will reveal additional items in the classy bedroom of America’s 45th president. Examples include the items on the bedside chest, the animal skin rug, the statues on the mantlepiece, what replaces Goodnight Moon’s balloon, the items in the bookcase, all of particular significance with respect to Trump and the events of his term.

Some touches are so subtle or understated as to not be apparent without careful examination of the illustrations, like the scrolling banner on the newsroom screen, the names on the picture frame, the book, game and video titles. Origen and Golan manage to include so many of the aspects of Trump’s presidency which distress, disgust, dismay or embarrass, that they will not have missed many, although new ones do appear daily.

The authors note that in Goodnight Moon, bunny is bidding goodnight to all those things in his life that will still be there in the morning when he wakes. In Goodnight Trump, they’re things that most people, but in particular those to whom the book is dedicated (children in detention centres apart from their parents, refugee children denied asylum, students killed by gun violence, mothers and infants suffering lack of access to healthcare), wish would go away forever. At the end of the book, the authors list organisations that empower children and protect their rights, and for this alone, this witty, insightful and thought-provoking book is worth a read.
This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Scribe Publications Australia