Product Description

When the sky grows dark
and the moon glows bright,
everyone goes to sleep . . .
except for the watchful owl!

With a spare, soothing text and beautifully rich and textured illustrations of a starry night, this is the perfect “book of sleep.” Join the owl on his moonlit journey as he watches all the other animals settle in for the night: some sleep standing up, while some sleep on the move! Some sleep peacefully alone, while others sleep all together, huddled close.

Il Sung Na makes his American debut with this gorgeous bedtime offering. While each animal rests in its own special way, little ones will also drift off to a cozy sleep.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25966 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-08
• Released on: 2009-09-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 24 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780375862236
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
Starred Review, Booklist, November 1, 2009:
"Na’s wonderfully illustrated debut is one of those bedtime books that children will likely turn to again and again."

Review, New York Times Book Review, December 6, 2009:
“So thoroughly does the book inhabit its sleepy world.”

Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, September 14, 2009:
"It's the rare picture book that, upon arrival, feels as though it has been around for years already"

Starred Review, School Library Journal, November 2009:
"Nimble lines influence the gentle mood through spotted colors and shaded images, balancing darkness and light to depict the passing of time."

About the Author
Originally from Korea, Il Sung Na studied illustration at Kingston University and now lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Review from www.firrkids.com
Every once in awhile, along comes a picture book so beautifully illustrated that it doesn't need a single word of text to be entrancing. This is one of those amazing books that delights your eye with the very first page and holds your attention all the way through.

This is a fantastic bedtime book in nearly every respect. The story centers around bedtime and how nearly all the animals are ready for sleep when the darkness descends. Only the nocturnal owl remains wide-eyed and alert.

The owl keeps watch over all the other animals as they sleep, and steps in as our tour guide to taking a closer look at the dozers. On some pages the owl is very small and artfully hidden, which makes finding his small frame a nice game for readers. He swoops over the snoring elephant, gazes balefully at a row of giraffes and lofts over an enormous whale, before roosting among a large group of slumbering doves.

Animals sleep in all different ways - some stand, some swim, some perch. A clue to a snoozing animal is typically the closed eyes, but we discover there are a few animals who sleep with one or both eyes open! And what about that owl, when does he sleep? Ah, the tired owl gets sleepy when the sun glows brightly and all the others animals rise for the day.

There's nothing as soothing as a book centered around sleep to get your little ones settled in for the night, particularly one as lovely as this. Subdued colors and the tiniest of details make this a visually stunning read. The above photos don't do the book justice. Holding the book in your hands, you will be surprised to find tiny line drawings on every page. Beautiful flower patterns and curlicues are etched in a deep blues and grays on every page, with white stars and tiny animals decorating the corners. Gorgeous!

Just Lovely!
The illustrations in this book are so lovely that the story might just be lost in the looking! Il Sung Na shows various animals in sleep from the view point of an inquisitive, nocturnal owl as he goes about his activities through the night. Your child can see how various animals get ready for bed.

The book features some repetitive dialogue which children love as well as the owl being incorporated into each view of a sleepy animal--as well as learning about sleep habits, your child can play the "find the owl" game.

The book shows how various animals sleep from some birds who sleep with one eye open, to a fish with both and an elephant with both eyes closed. And your child will find that the owl sleeps when the sun comes up!

A lovely new perspective on nocturnal animals and bedtime story
Kiwi Magazine Review:
This is one of the most beautifully illustrated books of late. While all of the other animals sleep, whether solo or snuggled with others, the owl stays awake. The story line is simple, but the illustrations are unique, complex and as soothing as a lullaby.