Many thanks to Netgalley and Britannica Books for my DRC in exchange for my impartial review. This in no way influenced my review, which was written voluntarily.

I loved this audiobook. The narrator was awesome. I attest to its power as a bedtime book because I actually was lulled to sleep while reading this book. 😂 It wasn't boring. The narrator was just so hypnotic.

It contains so many amazing facts and knowledge for young minds, and I can only imagine the type of dreams imaginative young kids will have after listening to this at bed time.

I had so much fun listening to this one and I highly recommend it.

The narrator for this audiobook was fabulous. There is a lot to learn in this book, which will fill curious minds with wonder. I definitely felt the title was misleading though, since these weren't "stories" so much as scientific and historical facts for 6-9 year olds. They were interesting, but it was definitely the narrator's voice carrying the weight of making this a "bedtime" audiobook-- although the lullabies at the end were fantastic.

This is an outstanding audiobook. The narrator's voice is soothing, just right for a child's ears, especially at the end of a long day. True Stories for Bedtime doesn't actually contain tales of characters and heroes, but rather smallish tidbits of inspiring information about us and our world. Kids everywhere will love it.

I received a complimentary copy of 5 Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime from NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This one was more of a conglomeration of interesting facts written with great flair. The narrator was phenomenal at making the text seem way more interesting than it can actually be. The stories were short and may truly work as bedtime stories for little ones who may less interested in make-believe.

I like that these are all, really and truly, 5 minutes exactly, which means that this audiobook could be a perfect little wind down ritual at bedtime. Not as interesting as i could wish, but that's also part of the wind-down vibe. This is not a book to read all the way through, it is mean to be digested one or two little 5 minute chapters at a time.

"5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime" from Britannica Books was such an interesting and different take on traditional bedtime stories. This audiobook contains a collection of short non-fiction stories/essays based on different topics most involving sleep or night time in some way. Stories of nocturnal animals and how astronauts sleep while in space are included in the collection. In the beginning, our little ones were disappointed that the stories were not fiction. However, they settled into the relaxing narration and gave the audiobook a fair try. I do think that for some children, non fiction probably appeals to their sense of wonder. For those children that enjoy more fact based content and not so much fantasy... this audiobook would be the perfect selection. It is not common to see this type of audiobook for children, so I loved the unique aspect of the idea and writing. The narration is excellent and high quality and is definitely relaxing to listen to!

Snooze-worthy stories serenade suspiciously sleepy Sundays

Posted on March 8, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist

I tried repeatedly to listen to this new audiobook but fell asleep every five minutes. This is a children’s non-fiction title, so I sent it to my three grandchildren in Washington state.
All of them. Zonked. Just like that. Talk about boring. How frustrating.
Well, not really if you’re listening to 5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime. Thirty Amazing Stories featuring frozen frogs, King Tut’s beds, the world’s biggest sleepover, the phases of the moon, and more, by Sally Symes, Jackie McCann, Gen Arena, Rachel Valentine, and published by the Britannica Group.
Readers and listeners of all ages can enjoy this beautifully-illustrated children’s story in print or audio form.
Touted as “the ultimate brainy bedtime companion for children aged 4 to 8, this book could easily entertain younger and older readers and listeners.
Hey Britannica, did it ever dawn on you that adults, tired as Hello, would be soothed by short stories full of entertaining non-work-related facts?
Actually, duh. Now that I ponder this thought, your editors may be no-so-evil word geniuses who know adults are too proud to admit they enjoy the easy flow of children’s non-fiction. That means Britannica is forced to create children’s books that parents can read to their offspring so everyone can fall asleep.
Ah, ha! A new genre emerges.
This book, when presented on audio, features a soothing unnamed English woman’s voice that offers listeners an enchanting, melodious, and sedative experience.
I consumed this book, as usual, in my car and on my way – somewhere. Perhaps it was the unusually warm sauna-like air in my car set against the chilly artic outside wind, or perhaps it was the calming quiet voice of the narrator herself. I have no clue. All I know is that I felt my lids get heavier by the minute. After a while, my hands were concrete blocks suspended in the air. The steering wheel repelled my Gorilla-Glue grip and my neck went all wet-noodle on me while I was moving through traffic at 40 miles per hour. It’s a darn good thing Britannica thought enough to put a roaring lion in the third minute of their first story. Otherwise, I’d be a goner.
You might want to ax that roaring lion for future versions, Britannica. That sucker woke me up in an instant and notified me I was about to enter into a nightmare. Lifesaving for me. But not that great for little kids trying to go to sleep.
Grandma and grandpa! This is the kind of book you want to buy – in whatever form you like – to give your grandkids. It’s a good old-fashioned Britannica special, produced like the countless volumes of encyclopedic wonderlands we old fogies grew up reading.
These stories are truly interesting, age-appropriate, and teach kids things that are both useless and useful simultaneously, but always entertaining. Its art is inviting and inspires a stunning-to-ponder mentality, and its reputation is nothing less than up-to-par with the big-chops-reputation Britannica maintained throughout its publishing lifetime.

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Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2

5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime // by Britannica Books

This was an excellent audiobook to listen to! Joanna Lumley was the perfect choice as a narrator and I couldn't imagine anybody else telling these stories better. Her voice was so calming but at the same time exciting and engaging. I never could listen to just a single story and had to play a couple in a row each time. Each story related to sleeping or night time in some way but I was surprised to see just how many places this book took us: under water, into the wild, and even into space! I am an animal lover but even I got to learn about species all over the world that I hadn't heard of before. It was also fun to see how each story tied in just a little bit with the one before and would lead us on to the next.

Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a lovely book / audio book. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I listened to it over a few evenings and thought it was brilliant! Exactly what it says it is - 5 minute true stories. The stories are short and sweet - perfect bedtime listening. Will go back time an time again. There are over 20 short chapters; each one telling you something about night time. Joanna Lumley as narrator is perfect. A soothing lullaby voice throughout.

Narrated by Joanna Lumley with passion, this book is a great bedtime audiobook. Joanna reads in such a way that she induces calm and sends you off to sleep with a wealth of knowledge with many stories focussing on an area of sleep. I wouldn't recommend listening whilst driving or doing something that requires your full attention and alertness.

The book is suited for children as young as three but could equally provide enjoyment for young teenagers wanting a spark of knowledge.

My children, aged four and six are currently enjoying the text. I cannot recommend this book enough.

5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime was a delightful collection of stories.

It has a wide variety of curious and short stories, perfect for the inquisitive minds of young children, full of knowledge and wonder about so many different topics: science, nature, animals, history and legends. And it ends in the most beautiful of ways, with lullabies from around the world.

I’ll have to admit that listening to this as an adult also gave me some knowledge about small things I was unaware of, and one can never stop learning. We keep on learning until the day we die.

I thought this was just wonderful and I can truly recommend it for parents and their young children, but also for teachers, educators and anyone with just a passion for knowledge in general, no matter the age range.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers Spotlight Audio and Britannica Books for letting me listen to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

#5MinuteReallyTrueStoriesforBedtime #NetGalley

This audiobook filled with quick 5-minute stories all centered around the theme of sleep and bedtime, were interesting to listen to and would be a good selection for kids having a bedtime story. As a sidenote, I've never in my life heard that bears had their cubs while half conscious during hibernation. I was impressed and slightly uncomfortable.

+The narrator had great inflection and reading
+The stories were very short but still packed with interesting facts and concepts

- Not all of the stories were interesting... I was expecting a bit more variety, and I think at times the "bedtime" theme was a bit too narrow.

As the title states, the book is a collection of stories that last about 5 minutes each (2 to 7min). I listened to them with my 6 and 8 year old girls and we found them interesting and informative. I quickly discovered though, that these are too thought provoking (or in the case of my 8 year old, question inducing) to be listened to at bedtime. In addition to the wide range of topics that it covers, the strange pronunciations, British terms and use of the metric system created at least 10 minutes of questions following each 5 minute story. I highly recommend this book, but would suggest listening to it at mealtime instead of bedtime.

The narrator has a melodic voice that reminds one of a cheerful grandmother.

This book has true stories about the history of sleeping, nocturnal animals, attractive bed plans from around the world, an enormous bed, and a giant sleepover, with a dozen other unique details about bedtime.

*This audiobook has been provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review of mine*

A lovely audiobook consisting of 5-minute short informative stories meant for schoolchildren to listen before bed-time to learn, grow, and be curious!

The first stories are about sleep - types, elements, dreams, brain waves, beds - everything sleep would remind you of, but as you listen more, it starts to variate from historical figures to space travel which surprised me, but I couldn't stop listening. From the other hand, the first parts about sleep made me more sleepy (which is the intent of these stories I guess) than the rest of these stories as they were teaching you something and my brain wanted to listen more rather than sleep.

The narrator did a great job with her voice alterations, tone and pace which made this experience more enjoyable. Overall, a lovely audiobook with positive vibes and dreamy lullabies at the end.

This book is superb. As an actual book I love it and as an audio book it is also fabulous, I do think to have both is perfect. Why both? The illustrations and details in the book are brilliant and the audio read by Joanna Lumley is excellent. I would love to see this book with the audio included as a special. I listened with my 11 year old son and I know he may seem too old for this but he loved it. We give this five stars without doubt.

Stories with fun and interesting facts around beds, sleeping and the night.
It was a bit different then I expected, more just facts instead of stories around real facts.
The narrator is very good.

What a wonderful book! This book contains 30 short stories related to sleep for children. The audio by Joanna Lumley’s is specular, calming and soothing perfect for before bed. I like the focus on sleep for children, teaching them the importance of sleep while entertaining with little stories that include animals, historical characters etc.

Also many sleep related questions are addressed such as, Why do we sleep? What are dreams? or How do they sleep? which focuses on how animals sleep and where, which is adorable and informative.

I'm always on the look out for great audio books to introduce children to this way of reading, 5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime is a great one!

5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime: 30 Amazing Stories: Featuring Frozen Frogs, King Tut’s Beds, the World's Biggest Sleepover, the Phases of the Moon, and More by Britannica Books was narrated by Joanna Lumley. It was written by Jackie McCann, Jen Arena, and Sally Symes.

Why do we sleep? How do sharks snooze underwater? Where is the oldest bed in the world? In this compendium of 5-minute really true stories about bedtime, you can go on a journey of wonder and learning to find out the answers to all these questions, and many more! Travel to Ancient Egypt to explore the beds of Tutankhamun, jet off into space to see how astronauts get ready for bed, or even plunge underwater to learn how hibernating turtles breathe through their bottoms! There are 30 amazing 5-minute stories, with all facts verified by Britannica.

5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime has thirty five minute sections, but I am not sure that I would classify them as stories. Each of the segments is well told and researched, with a combination of silly or weird facts and more serious sounding information about sleep and all sorts of things related to it. They are interesting to listen to and full of information that will be new to most of the young readers or listeners that this book is aimed at. The book information says that the printed version has specially commissioned artwork, which I expect will help keep the attention of young readers, however the audiobook narrator did a wonderful job with inflection and emotion to keep my attention and interest. Please keep in mind that this is a book that uses British vernacular, and some terms in the text are different because of this. Those that have a hard time with things like lorry instead of truck, biscuit instead of cookie, and so on just be forewarned. I love it, and think it is a great thing for readers of all ages to understand that people that speak the same language do not always sound the same.

5-Minute Really True Stories for Bedtime is a great bedtime, or anytime, read. Perfect for short reads together.

I loved this concept and the stories as well as the narrator! Very awesome idea that made an awesome bed time book!! Thanks!