It's Time to Sleep, My Love [Hardcover]

Eric Metaxas (Author), Nancy Tillman (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2008 | Age Level: 2 and up

It's time to sleep, it's time to sleep,

the fishes croon in waters deep.

The songbirds sing in trees above,

"It's time to sleep, my love, my love."

As children prepare for bed, the world around them is also settling down for the night. Animals who live in the jungle, the forest, the sea—all whisper to their babies a soft refrain: It’s time to sleep, my love.

As comforting as a soft blanket and warm as a goodnight hug, Eric Metaxas's lullaby is lovingly brought to life by bestselling artist Nancy Tillman  (On the Night You Were Born) , whose illustrations celebrate the wonders of the natural world, and the bonds of family.

It's Time to Sleep, My Love is a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Bestselling children's writer and illustrator Nancy Tillman creates a comforting bedtime story with gorgeous illustrations of animals settling down for the night. Like all of Tillman's children's books, It's Time to Sleep, My Love ends with the words, "You are loved."

Take a Look Inside (Click on any image to enlarge)

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From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K—Beyond the soothing titular refrain repeated throughout, troubles cripple this ode to bedtime ritual. Without strict stylistic technique, the verse is unnecessarily redundant, and cumbersome phrases such as "And as you dream inside your sleep" will trip up readers. Adults will surely have to explain the lines "Your dreams will be arriving soon./They'll float to you/in sleep's balloon./They'll be here when I snuff the wick,/you'd better close your eyelids quick." The book's design clearly favors Tillman's richly hued digital and mixed-media composite paintings over the text. Though fans of Tillman's On the Night You Were Born (Feiwel & Friends, 2006) will likely gravitate to this title, general readers will do better to look to other books for their evening routine.—Bethany Isaacson, Wheaton Regional Library, Silver Spring, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends; First Edition edition (September 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312383711
• ISBN-13: 978-0312383718
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 10 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,454 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heartbreakingly wonderful, October 2, 2008

By 

Peter G. Hawkins "Peter G. Hawkins" (Darien, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's Time to Sleep, My Love (Hardcover)

For any parent that has ever tried to get their little one to sleep - while falling asleep yourself - this is a gorgeous, heartbreakingly beautiful book. It will become a classic. The artwork is stunning, the story is truly loving. Whether you are a mom or dad, grandma, grandpa or know of a little one out there, you will find this book a treasure.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite, January 6, 2009

By 

Wendy D. Gadd (London, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It's Time to Sleep, My Love (Hardcover)

As soon as this book by Eric Metaxas, along with its two sister books also illustrated by Nancy Tillman arrived, I ran around to Walter who runs my local bookstore in London, England. His comment was "Exquisite. There is definitely a market for these books in England". Eric's innate love of his daughter, of life, of God flows through the poetry of his lullaby. Three babies are due in my family this year, and all are going to receive a set of these beautiful books.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect, October 18, 2008

By 

tzefirah "tzefirah" (Media, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It's Time to Sleep, My Love (Hardcover)

The simple message is: It's time to sleep, my love. The artwork is stunning, done by an award-winning artist who specializes in nature. The animals are accurately depicted, but in dreamland settings. There is no better bedtime message than telling a child s/he is loved.