This book is absolutely stunning both in words and illustrations. The pictures are cut paper so it has this beautiful 3D effect. It’s poetic and takes you along the outside with a young girl. You can sense the critters and quiet hum of the darkness.

What would you do if you were night? This book has unique illustrations. The rhythm flowed smoothly throughout the book. I think this book is great for younger readers who may be afraid of the night.

The story here was a lot more compelling than the illustrations. The illustrations really took away from the beautiful poem-like story line.

I absolutely LOVED this children's book. My favorite aspect of this book was the art and illustrations. If I saw this at my hometown bookstore I would grab it. Such a cute 'indie' feeling book. I highly recommend this book!

I loved this book. Cute story, engaging and the illustrations where absolutely wonderful. My 7 and 3 years both enjoyed it too. I would recommend.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I absolutely love the illustrations in this book! The text is nice and this would make an excellent read aloud. I can't wait to share it with my kids!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing a review copy of this picture book in exchange for an honest review.

If You Were Night is a lyrical exploration of the life outside our windows as we sleep. This is a beautiful picture book that can show children that what goes bump in the night is nothing to be afraid of. The art is stunning and using paper-cut dioramas for each scene is really imaginative. I really enjoyed the narrative, though at times the verses didn't really mesh with me, but that just boils down to my personal taste when it comes to poetry.

It's still a great picture book and very unique.

The artwork in this book is impressive. The dioramas are so detailed and meticulous. It really brings a sense of awe and whimsy to the story. It was by far my favorite part. I wasn't a huge fan of the text. I found it to be a bit stilted and awkward for a read aloud scenario. I do love the execution of the story with the artwork though. You can simply tell that this book is a work of art. It's just so beautiful.

Stunning children's book that encourages children to ponder nature. The illustrations are amazingly elaborate, created from cut and folded paper. The text was sweet, but a little awkward at times. Truly beautiful book for young kids!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC.

Not feeling the love for this one that others have shown. It's a spread of hypothetical questions to a young child, and the whole effect conveys a kind of magical, dreamy night-time country landscape, but I can't see it having much effect myself.

I read this story to my sons at bedtime and I think it was a perfect fit. The writing and illustrations were both beautiful. I think this book is great for all young readers/listeners and will help them to not fear and see the beauty in the night.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the idea behind that Children's bedtime story. I think it would help show young readers that the night is not that scary, that beauty lies within darkness and that it is up to us to see it and enjoy it. Many children are afraid of the dark and more stories about what happens while we close our eyes would probably help make that fear something of the past ;)

The physical book with the paper-cut dioramas should look stunning and should render the story and the illustrations even more alive.

This is a cute bedtime story for young kids. The rhythm could definitely lull kids to sleep. The absolute best part of this book is the art- its beautiful & unique.

3 stars.

The art is beautiful. I think the illustrator cut out the pieces and made the scenes.
I am not sure I totally got the story. However, it shows that the night is not something that scary but also full of wonders.

From the title, you know that this book would be great to read before bedtime. The writing is so gentle and beautiful. It is quiet, cozy, heartwarming, atmospheric and lovely.
The illustration style would probably not my kind of illustration, but it is still beautiful and I can see how it works perfectly with the story. It feels more real in a way :)

Review copy provided by NetGalley

Before anything else, I'd like to comment that the illustration style in this book was really engaging, not only because of the medium of photographed 3-dimensional illustrations, but because of the use of lighting to create shadow within the illustrations. I really liked it, It reminded me of the books done by Red-Nose Studio, though there was no clay modeling involved in the making of this book.

The text has a nice, recurring refrain, which would lend nicely to teaching children to write with a scaffold. The text is lightly abstract, though not in a way that would be prohibitive to young readers. It's a book that emphasizes noticing, and it is question driven. These are both great for engaging in the text. I'm really impressed with this. I'll definitely be adding it to my library when it becomes available.

If You Were Night is a beautifully written and illustrated book. It is a book I could definitely see myself purchasing as a gift. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Muon Thi Van for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

If You Were Night by Muon Thi Van, Picture Book for Young Children: 5 STARS!!!

What a gorgeous delight, in the tradition of Good Night Moon!
A new timeless winner, buy this one for the young ones, buy it to gift to any child, buy it for homeless shelters and gift drives and more! Just buy it to hold for when you need the perfect young child gift, because that it is.

I feel like I'm gushing! And I am, with good reason. The art, cut paper intricacies, so perfect for young eyes, black set against white backgrounds with shades of green and blue cut paper hold wonder, as the young reader / listener ponders what is night, exactly? If you were night, what would you do at the brush of a feel of fur against your...skin? Would you have skin? Would you fly (into yourself?) Would you skitter? So many questions arise from this simple yet glorious book!

This deserves to be on the regular "time for bed" reading shelf, and I can see it becoming the "read it to me again!" favorite for a young child's nighttime routine. But what is so wonderful about this book is that it will give the adult pondering too! What *if* Night was personified? What could it do, and what would it do? The young mind will be growing new brain connections from the wonderings of this jewel.

What to buy to bring to the baby shower, to gift the young niece or nephew or friend's child or boss's child? You absolutely cannot go wrong with this one. I hope this becomes the next ageless classic, because it deserves to be!

DELIGHTFUL! And I'm gifted by the reading of it. Thank you to Muon Thi Van for a fantastic creation for young minds <3

The book's illustrations were beautiful and the prose engaging. I enjoyed the way animals were described and illustrated. I recommend this picture book.

If You Were Night is a really nice bedtime book about all that comes to life in the night. The story is written poetically which makes it very special. The illustrations are also unique.
I would buy this. Thank You for the copy.