Review Detail

NOW THAT NIGHT IS NEAR is a lovely poem in a picture book about going to sleep. A cat travels through the countryside, seeing all the animals settling down to sleep before returning home and curling up with a young child in bed. The muted colors and soft illustrations add to the bedtime story feeling throughout.

What I loved: This is a lovely poem about nighttime and sleep. With many different animals featured and fun details in the background of the images, there is much for young children to enjoy as they settle down towards bedtime. The cat that we follow is on each page, a fun thread of continuity for children to enjoy, and the repeated line about even cats needing to sleep is one that will resonate with little ones that need their sleep.

The illustrations are really lovely, with many details and a muted color scheme that is great for bedtime. The images help carry the story, as the text is limited and they have so much to offer. The soft, sleepy animals throughout are great for bedtime.

Final verdict: A poetic read, NOW THAT NIGHT IS NEAR is a sweet bedtime book that encourages children to sleep with muted and soft images, simple text, and sleeping animals throughout.