A Book of Sleep

Starred review from September 14, 2009
“When the sky grows dark and the moon glows bright, everyone goes to sleep... except for the watchful owl.” The sleep habits of the delicate creatures in Na's debut (“Some sleep standing up, While some sleep on the move!”) seem almost incidental to the soothing, captivating aura that emanates from every spread. Na's textural images recall the lightheartedness and limpid charm of Paul Klee. Against nighttime fields of gray and blue, the animals are tinted with hot pinks and sunny yellows, and embellished with delicate black outlines, fine flowers and other flourishes. There are moments of quiet humor—a flock of oblong birds warily napping with one eye open on a telephone wire—as well as those that emphasize contented sleep (giraffes' heads rest on clouds overhead, while penguins “sleep all together, huddled close at night”). It's the rare picture book that, upon arrival, feels as though it has been around for years already; Na's belongs to this group. Ages 1–5.

Starred review from November 1, 2009
PreS-KThis starry wonderland soothes young listeners through succinct phrasing and powerful pacing. Though they may all sleep differently, animals, birds, and fish rest when the sun sets, except for the observant owl. The lilting narrative describes the dozing patterns of numerous inhabitants against the dark night backdrop as the owl watches nearby. Each vibrant spread features no more than one stark sentence for each dreamy scene. "Some sleep peacefully alone, /While others sleep all together, /huddled close at night." With the morning sunlight, the rested creatures now eagerly play, though it is finally the owl's turn for slumber. Handmade painterly textures utilize digitally generated layers, compiled in Adobe Photoshop, to depict the subtle details on each darkened page. Nimble lines influence the gentle mood through spotted colors and shaded images, balancing darkness and light to depict the passing of time. Dreams, enhanced through slight white outlines, provide an unusual nuance to this delightful tale. This refreshing glimpse into the whimsical world of sleep truly soars."Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from November 1, 2009
Grades K-2 *Starred Review* First published in England under the title ZZzzz: A Book of Sleep (2007), Nas wonderfully illustrated debut is one of those bedtime books that children will likely turn to again and again. The text is spare but informative, and soothing in its rhythms: When the sky grows dark / and the moon glows bright / everyone goes to sleep . . . except for the watchful owl. In the double-page spreads that follow, Na presents a variety of animals at rest (Some sleep peacefully alone, / While others sleep all together, huddled close at night). However they sleep, these animals are always being observed by that watchful owl, and children will enjoy finding him tucked between two huddling penguins or perched on the branch of a distant tree. Theres no way to miss him when he comes face-to-face with a fish whose eyes are open when asleep; their close-ups, in profile, make them seem startled to see each other and showcase Nas playful use of texture, color, and unlikely patterns. The striking deep-blue of Nas nighttime gives way to bright sun at the end of the book, and finally the tired owl gets his turn to sleep.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)