Close Your Eyes

By Kate Banks and Georg Hallensleben

Book Overview

A little tiger takes an imaginative journey in Close Your Eyes, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and a Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

The little tiger lay on his back in the tall grass.
"Close your eyes, little tiger," said his mother, "and go to sleep."

But the little tiger is worried about what sleep might bring.
His mother reassures him that once he closes his eyes, he will dream of magical places. And when he awakens, she will be right there, waiting for him.

Alternating between real-life scenes with the baby tiger and his mother and enchanted dream scenes of sleep's possibilities, Kate Banks's simple, comforting text and Georg Hallensleben's bright, colorful illustrations make this a charming bedtime story for small children.

• Format: Board book
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0374301018
• ISBN13: 9780374301019
• Release Date: August 2015
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
• Length: 36 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.5" x 6.3"
• Age Range: 3 to 6 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 1

Customer Reviews

Beautiful modern "go to sleep" tale.

This is a bedtime book for little kids that will be appreciated by adults too. The very simple story adresses a young cub's concerns about going to sleep with the lights out (whether the cub is the little tiger in the book, or your own little cub in their bed.)As mentioned in the other reviews, Kate Banks text is lovely -- simple and poetic; easy and fun to read. But, it is the illustrations that are really special to me, and how well they work with the story that really elevates this book to the level of classic. The illustrations are beautiful, simple and bold. Very little kids will be captivated -- and their expressive power will be felt by adults too.Whether you buy books for a small child or just collect picture books for their artwork this is a must have.

An Easy Read For Adults and Kids

This is probably one of my son's favorite books, and it's one of my favorite books to read to him. I especially appreciate the way the book conveys the worries and fears of the Little Tiger (similar to worries and fears little kids have!) and the reassuring answers the mother tiger comes up with...It's also a calming read, so if your son or daughter gets excited reading silly books before bedtime like mine does, you'll want a book like this around.

A beautiful bedtime book!

This is a wonderful book that my 20mo old adores. Its about a little tiger who is scared to go to sleep at night. The mother tiger comforts him and explains to him that he doesnt need to be scared and that she will be right there if he needs her. One of the quotes is so beautiful, the mother tiger says to the baby tiger "dark is just the other side of light. It's what comes before dreams." My heart melted when I read that for the first time and I thought that was a perfect way to tell a child that its ok to close your eyes and go to sleep. This book will be a big hit at bedtime!

The Perfect Bedtime Story.....

"The little tiger lay on his back in the tall grass. "Close your eyes, little tiger," said his mother, "and go to sleep." But the little tiger didn't want to sleep. "If I close my eyes," he said, "I can't see the sky..." So begins author, Kate Banks, and illustrator Georg Hallensleben's third bedtime story collaboration, and this dynamic duo justs gets better with each book. Little tiger has all kinds of excuses for not closing his eyes. He won't be able to see the sky, or the trees, or the bird with blue feathers. When he closes his eyes, the world is dark, and he's afraid. But his patient mother is there with just the right reassuring words, telling him about the wonderful places he'll go in his dreams. And when he wakes up, she reminds him, his dreams will be gone, but she will be right there, cuddled next to him..... Ms Banks gentle, lyrical text is warm and engaging, and filled with imagery and magic. Mr Hallensleben's evocative, bold and bright lush jungle scenes dazzle with vivid color and expression. Together word and art create a soothing and captivating bedtime story preschoolers will beg to read, night after night. Like their other nightime books, And If The Moon Could Talk and The Night Worker, Close Your Eyes is a winner that shouldn't be missed.

Great for the Kids at Bedtime, and for Tiger Fans All Times

This is a delightful little book, about a tiger cub who doesn't want to go to sleep as his mom directs. He doesn't want to let go of his wonderful day-time world by closing his eyes. His mom coaches him along the way, about all the wonders he can see in his imagination, and then in his dreams. Most importantly, she assures him that she always will be there to protect him.The illustrations are fanciful and utterly non-threatening. I come from a bunch that loves tigers anyway, but even if you're a little wary of "large, ferocious animals", as someone once put it to me, don't pass this one up. There is no ferocity here; there is only gentleness and a mother's love.... Don't pass this one by!