A Book of Sleep
A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na Book Review
The young reader’s tale follows an owl as it travels from animal to animal at night to see how different animals sleep. Children can follow the owl’s moonlit journey as he watches the wide range of animal sleeping behaviors to highlight the similarities and differences among them.
The animals and their environments are depicted in hand-painted, artistic illustrations with complex textures and bright colors that don’t always match the animals depicted.
This book is a treasure thanks to Na’s illustrations. The big-eyed birds and fish will captivate children, and the subtle patterns across the animals and the night sky will lend an air of magic to the otherwise straightforward story and inspire pleasant dreams.
Story Characters From A Book of Sleep
The owl’s animal friends include both upright sleepers and those that like to doze off while on the go (hint: it’s the whale!). While some are entirely silent while sleeping, certain animals actually create sounds while they do so. Here is a rundown of some of the whimsical nighttime residents the owl checks in on and the different ways they sleep.
- Koala bears
- Elephants
- Zebras
- Whales
- Birds
- Small fish
- Giraph
- Penguins
Il Sung Na Author of A Book of Sleep
This is the first book by Il Sung Na to be published in the United States, and it is the perfect bedtime story. Children, like other animals, have their own preferred methods of resting and sleeping. Il Sung Na is the author of several children’s books, including A Book of Sleep. Other works by this author include:
- A Book of Babies
- That’s My Carrot
- The Dreamer
- Bird, Balloon, Bear
- Brrrr: A Book of Winter
- The Opposite Zoo
- Welcome Home, Bear
- A Book of Babies
- A Book of Sleep
- Zzzzz
- The Thingamabob
- Hide & Seek
- Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons
What the Media Says About A Book of Sleep
“So thoroughly does the book inhabit its sleepy world? This book deserves a cozy place on the shelf for reading to children. “
-New York Times
“It’s the rare picture book that, upon arrival, feels as though it has been around for years already.“
-Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
“Na’s wonderfully illustrated debut is one of those bedtime books that children will likely turn to again and again.“
-Booklist (Starred Review)
Source:ilsungna.com
About The Author: Il Sung Na
Il Sung Na is the author of A Book of Sleep, a board book that was designated a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, and now resides in Brooklyn, New York. A Book of Baby Animals, Counting Lions, and One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab, is among the many picture books written and illustrated by the author. He also wrote and illustrated two young adult novels, The Watcher and The Dreamer & the Dream. His novels have been published in nations all over the world, and his work has been translated into other languages.
While browsing bookstores in his leisure time, Il Sung discovered he wanted to be like his new favorite authors and tell his own story. He began experimenting with various materials, which was a period of enormous trial and error!
In 2015, he earned his MFA in Illustration Practice from MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art). Il Sung spends his time teaching art classes and working on new publications.
Source: amazon.com
Illustrator of A Book of Sleep
It’s not unusual for children’s book authors and illustrators to be two separate people. Not so here, as Il Sung Na illustrated The Book of Sleep. He came to London in 2001 to earn a BFA in Illustration and Animation from Kingston University, and it was there that he developed a love for writing and illustrating stories for young readers. The book has won a number of honors, and the images are beautiful and dreamlike. His subsequent picture books, The Thingamabob and Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit (Spring 2011), are both published by Knopf and follow on from his first, A Book of Sleep.
A Book of Sleep Reviews
This is a sweet book, perfect for those parents that have forgotten what sleep is. This is our second time buying this book. The first copy was with Little Owl and was the recipient of urine from an angry cat. (Cats don’t always think highly of children and their belongings.) So the book is good enough to purchase again and store higher up.
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2022
The illustrations are different and amazing. The story is about simple ways that different types of animals sleep. Cassie loved this book and learning about different animals in how they sleep. Cassie really wanted to look at the pictures over and over. The text in this book is calm and perfect to read for bedtime. Cassie loved listening to this book right before she went to bed at night. I recommend checking it out.
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2022
The Source of Reviews: amazon.com
Book Reading Video (YouTube Video Below)
If you’d like to see the book from cover to cover and hear an excellent reading of the story by the author, Il Sung Na, himself, then watch this 4:46 story reading video below before making your buying decision.
Where to Buy ‘A Book of Sleep’ & Product Details
| Amazon.com | Purchase A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na |
Product details
- Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; illustrated edition (11 January 2011).
- Language: English
- For ages 0–3 years old.
- Format: Board Book
- Board book: 24 pages
- ISBN-10: 0375866183
- ISBN-13: 978-0375866180
- Item Weight: 213 g
- Dimensions : 14.81 x 1.6 x 14.94 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: #248,392 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- Published: January 11th, 2011
- Country of Publication: US
Conclusion
I hope you found the information in this cute picture book about an owl’s dream adventure. If that’s the case, you might enjoy some of our other short tale blog pieces as well.
