Time for Bed, Miyuki

It's Miyuki's bedtime, but there are so many things she wants to do before it's time to settle down! For one thing, she has to prepare for the Dragonfly Queen's arrival, which is a very big deal. Miyuki's patient grandfather helps her build a canopy for the queen from twigs and leaves, collect all the snails, water her vegetables and dance the last dance of the day before the sun sets.

A quiet but beautiful bedtime book, this is also a lovely homage to a little girl's relationship with her grandfather. Reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland's fantastical upside-down world of insects and tiny details, we see the world through Miyuki's eyes: when she dances with grandfather, it is on top of a flower, and she and Grandfather are both as tiny as the snails they corral home before bedtime.

Truly one of the most beautiful children's books in recent years, every page of Time for Bed, Miyuki is an exquisite treat for the eyes; children and adults will marvel at its illustration, which is intricate yet warm and lovely at the same time.