As a parent of two sons, Oak Park Creates author Muriel E. Adams knows that bedtime for young children can be challenging. From asking for a glass of juice to asking whether fish sleep, kids are always coming up with clever tactics to stall their parents and stay awake longer.

"But by developing fun routines and being a bit flexible, bedtime doesn't have to be chaotic," Adams said. "It can be a time that is orderly, educational, peaceful, and even rewarding."

In her children's book published earlier this year, I Love You More! A Bedtime Story and Word Game, Adams draws on her own family's imaginative, funny, and tender bedtime routine. Now a restorative justice practitioner and a Governors State University adjunct faculty member, Adams was inspired to write the story after her husband passed away, to help her sons remember their father and the family the way it was, as a foursome.

Adams wanted her sons, who were 6 and 10 when their father died, to know his deep love for them: "I love you both more than everything." And because she also believed that more children needed to hear "I love you more," she self-published the book, now available at The Book Table and online. 

I Love You More! is available at the Oak Park Public Library as part of Oak Park Creates, the library's special collection of books, movies, music, and other artistic works created by people with local ties.

Come hear more about Adams' story on Wednesday, July 22, when she visits the Main Library for a special author event from 2 to 4 pm.

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