I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and Kids Can Press in exchange for my honest review.

I love the illustrations in this book! The layered paper displays make each page look like the set of a play; a very creative and fun way to illustrate a book. I really enjoyed the book; it was poetic and fun. Each page introduces an animal and the things they may do at night and asks, “If you were night, what would you do?”. As kids get older you could ask them to provide information, they know about each animal that isn’t included in the book.

This book. Aw man, this beautiful little book. I loved it so much! Illustrator Kelly Pousette creates scenes using folded paper, and this delightful, little romp through the night is made a million times more interesting through her art. The textures she creates are exquisite, and the shadows and play on light are super cool. They really highlight the night theme of the book and give me major stop animation vibes.

The rich use of language pulled me into the story almost as much as the unique artwork. There is plenty of inventive onomopeia going on in these pages, lots of poetic prose carrying your little ones through the journey of the night. It’s a perfect pick for bedtime, and there’s so much to see that even as an adult, I will be revisiting this title again and again.

If you’re looking for something unique and quirky to add to your child’s bedtime storytime, definitely keep this one in mind. It’s beautiful and smart, and it’ll be out in September.

"If You Were Night" by Muon Thi Van is a new children's book that shows the hidden beauty that occurs at nighttime. The story follows a kid while he discovers the mysteries of what happens after the sun goes down and asks the question, would he like to be awake and experience all of these things?

This book was a great way to share with kids all of the wonderful things in nature that can occur after traditional bedtime. We really enjoyed that the book introduced woodland creatures and the illustrations/pop up artwork was beautiful. The racoon was a family favorite in our house.

A dreamy and poetic story where a boy imagines all the night creatures and happenings of the night. I loved the art and the language.

I thank Netgalley and Kids Can Press for the digital ARC.

Muon Thi Vän lives in Northern California and has won awards for her stories One is a Lot and In the Village by the Sea.

Illustrator Kelly Pousette creates beautiful illustrations with folded paper. This way her illustrations become layered and are very special.

In If you were night Muon Thi Vän tells a story about nightfall and the many sounds that come up during the night. It's about how they might frighten you, our how it could be beautiful.

A nice educational picturebook about the sounds you here at night.

This book was incredibly beautiful! It felt like a dream so the description of "dream-like picture book" is absolutely accurate. There isn't a story per se, it's more a series of questions about the night, nature and what would you do? It has a sleepy surreal quality that would make it perfect bedtime reading. It's utterly enchanting and the pictures are multilayed pieces of perfection! The 3d effect makes you feel like you could reach into the page and touch the animals and foliage.

This is the type of thing I'd have read to my son when he was a baby/toddler and then read with him as he got older. Absolutely recommend for kids of all ages!

If You Were Night is much of a delight because it is written in poetic verse. Also, it is a picture book with beautiful illustrations that maintains the colours of night time with ample moonlight to make tiny eyes witness the many children of nature.🦋🦋

The book is quite playful- it asks you what would you do if you were night. By the end of this short journey you'll want to beat to the tune of nature.

The readers are allowed to unveil a hidden face of night. Children are mostly scared of the night. But this book can introduce them to a night that is playful, full of life and has a whole package of unearthed mysteries.

This book restores what needs to be restored in every child's life- hunger for adventure, a desire for exploring new things and a basketful of love for nature.🌳

Disclaimer- The book might install an urge of exploration. So be ready before flipping the pages!😊

Childrens picture book. This is a beautiful, quiet story with cut paper illustrations that reminded me of [author:David Wisniewski|57508]. It is about what goes on at night under the moonlight. Various nocturnal animals are pictured, not with a sense of fear but observation. The text is lyrical and calming and the pictures are stunning. Highly recommended for a new addition to the world of bedtime stories.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review a digital ARC!

Stunning papercuts grace the pages of this sweet picture book featuring gentle night critters and moonlit skies. Throughout the text, “what would you do” type questions are posed, which capture the dreamy mood of the subject. How would a child feel being brushed by the tail of a night critter or seeing a swooping owl? An invitation to safe, nightime adventure.

Even with children in mind, I felt this book was not very engaging. The art was interesting and looked similar to diaroma paper art, the only part of the artwork I did not like was the child depicted, very odd. Story was complete and well-edited with good formatting.

'If you were night what would you do? '

My son loved answering the quotations posed throughout the book and giggled and the illustrations. I also loved the illustrations with the paper cut-out style since it's not something you see very often. I would recommend the book for kids maybe 6-7 years old where they can do more critical thinking but younger kids can enjoy it as well.

The book was not scary which is a huge plus since we are going through a scared of the dark phase. It showed the peacefulness of night and what animals you might find awake if you were to wander outside.

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

This is absolutely stunning - it has everything I look for in a picture book. It has the feel of a future classic like Goodnight Moon. I could read it over and over.

The paper-cutout artwork style is incredible, so unusual and beautiful. The language and story are both lovely. Overall it encourages children to see the beauty in night, in quiet, in the little things we don’t often get to see. I was a little gothy Tim Burton-esque child and I would have loved this book.

I very much enjoyed this read. It is well written, relaxing and mesmerizing. It really speaks to the imagination, while just talking about the world outside. What really made this stand out was the unique and Awesome paper-cut illustrations. I think it would be a perfect bedtime read.

Wow! What a unique experience this book was! If You Were Night by Muon Thi Van is a gorgeous cut paper picture book about night time scares turned wonders and adventures. Visually, it's more engrossing than the story itself! The book felt so magical and dreamy. I really enjoyed this one!

Paper-cutting is a work of art and this picture book was no different. What a beautiful creation, and the shadows made it all so much more real.
The text invoked so much emotion and feeling. Not usually a style I necessary granite towards when choosing a picture book, but this was beautiful and made you feel like you were on a moonlit walk, taking in your surroundings.

The only thing I wasn't sure about was on page 17 - I know this is an e-ARC, but is the image meant to be raised from the backdrop? I wasn't sure.

A story of all the things that come to life at night, and the adventures they take. This is a great book if your child is an animal lover, as there are many nocturnal animals involved with the story. The illustrations aren also intricate and hued so that it does really feel like you are strolling through the midnight forest in its wild glory. I also really enjoyed that the book is engaging with its wording; making the young reader wonder if they would act as the animals and be part of the night.

I loved this children book! It's amazing for children who are afraid in the dark, and I really LOVED the illustrations

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.