Sunflowers Rise in a Midnight Sky
by Avery Davis
Beautifully illustrated, the pictures connect to the poetic text. The inspiration is the creativity of the book. The artist uses various types of artistic expression to show the meaning of the text. Students can find connections with the artwork, and poetic imagery.

Fabulous mixed media art - I really loved all the illustrations! The story was ok, so it was the illustrations that make this book so lovely.

I loved the beautiful illustrations and all the colourful dimensions displayed on the pages. The writing was good too but I found it hard to read where the sentences were placed on some of the pages and it just didn’t make sense to add the writing to those specific places. Other than that, this was a good read full of imaginative concepts.

I really enjoyed the illustrations. The use of lace, netting, and sequins adding texture appealed to me as a seamstress. I also liked the other collage aspects. The colors were dreamy and the imagery really illustrated the text. Sadly, the text didn't appeal to me and didn't tell a story.

Beautiful, simply beautiful. Amazing illustration helps you to see exactly what the poetry of this book conveys. A definite must read for anyone who dreams and imagination run wild with possibilities.

This picture book is a credit to the talent of the illustrator, Tang Wei. They were beautiful, whimsical, and moving! If this book was solely the illustrations, it would be a five star book. Where the book lacks is in the poetry and accessibility of the text. I am unsure of who the book is marketed to based on the content of the book. A big miss is where the text is placed and the font/font size that is used. It is clear that the illustrations are the heart of the book as the text is easy to miss and not entirely compelling as poetry.

Thanks to NetGalley and Empyrean Press. I received this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. For context, I am a former middle school English teacher with about half a k-12 library masters.

This is a gorgeous trip--a bit like The Magical Mystery Tour or Strawberry Fields meets Dr. Seuss. It's an aesthetic I'd call soporific psychedelia. Parents who know Moshi Kids and "Close Your Eyes SleepyPaws" from the Calm App or YouTube will know what I mean. The art is fabulous and reminds me of The Rainbow Fish and Gustav Klimt a bit.

The basic conceit is to poetically showcase the possibilities that might happen at night while we sleep, such as sunflowers rising in the midnight sky, as posited by the evocative title. Some of the descriptive language really grabbed me, with phrases like "A sand-dollar is traded for a polka-dot rose" that seem at once both mysterious and yet familiar.

However, the meter didn't quite work for me a few times, particularly when there was one line on a page juxtaposed with a couplet on the next. Even in the couplets, the syllables and stress didn't always flow quite right. The vaguely religious allusions to angels and heaven might not work for all families, but I found them harmless.

While the poetry and art work beautifully together, I do think that some design choices impeded readability for the target audience. I think the font is tiny and too hidden on page 8 (the "stairways from heaven..." page) and too light for the background on 14 and 15 ("Trees dance..." through "...beginning his tricks.") Throughout the book, a larger font size with stronger contrast would help the little child or the tired parent at bedtime read more easily.

Those are minor notes. Overall, this is a lovely, lyrical tale especially suited for bedtime and for, as Kermit the Frog might say, "the lovers, the dreamers, and me." I would recommend adding it to a child's bedtime rotation for sure.

Enjoyed this colorful, beautiful story. It was different and something I believe children would really like. A cute book to introduce kids to poetry. The art was eye catching and made me enjoy the book even more.

‘The hands of time stop after a billion ticks.
The world’s largest lollipop is gone in a billion licks.’

This book is absolutely stunning. I really am just blown away by the artwork. It reminds me of ‘The Rainbow Fish’ with how it’s a blend of paints and metallics. I loved each page’s designs and would definitely recommend getting a physical copy if you can. I only got the ebook and I now want to pick up a physical copy in the future because the pictures are just so lovely.

The font is a little bit hard to read at times due to size/colour, but it’s a nice style, so perhaps it’s an ebook thing and it’ll be more clear in a physical copy. (But this was only very minor and I did read it on my laptop.)

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of this author and illustrator in the future!

Beautiful and imaginative children's book. Whimsical and dreamy with gorgeous illustrations. Great bedtime story because it is calming and may inspire beautiful dreams for adults and kids alike.

Thank you Empyrean Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this cute short bedtime read about our dreams.

Since I was young I always pretended my dreams were a gateway into possibility. When I was younger sometimes I would think when I would dream of someone they were really sharing that dream too.

I think this is a beautiful (every page artistically completed) idea to share with my Littles especially just before they lay down their heads.

I had very high hopes for this book, and the cover left me in awe. The illustrations were a high point. The story was very imaginative but I felt it getting repetitive after a while and would have benefited from having more of a plot line. This is a wonderful book for provoking imagination and wonder in children, and would even serve as a great conversation starter where you could read this book with your child and then ask them what they dream about and what they wish could come true from their imagination. The text was difficult to see on most of the pages, and I missed some of the lines of text and had to re-read. The unconventional placement of the text gives the book an extra dream-like quality but with the font/color/size of the text, it made it more difficult to see.

Avery I wanted to give the you a real response for my critique. I was so excited from the title of this book. Your cover image is very inviting. The first 3 pages I was really interested and excited to read -The rainbows and plane landed in the clouds. Then it seemed that each page felt more and more disconnected. The illustrations where interesting. But the page where I had to tilt my head sideways to read the text you lost me. I think if the text was a little easier to read and the story connected and had flow to it like the first 3 pages I would of bought 20+ copies. Avery I think you have created something beautiful and I look forward to seeing your future books.

The illustrations in this book are vibrant and magical. The whole book is a fanciful dream. My biggest criticism is the book lacks a plot- it’s just a collection of fantastical imagery. It’s a feast for the eyes, colorful and beautiful.

This book has beautiful illustrations. It's great for dreamers and those with beautiful imaginations.

This book is so dreamy! The visuals are absolutely immaculate. The overall vibe of the book is very wonderland-esque. The colors and arts are so gorgeous. Posters can be made of them, they're stunning.

Normally poetry isn't my thing, but the illustrations in this book sucked me right in. The whimsical drawings on the cover peeked my curiosity - you could tell the artist put real creativity into each piece.

Flipping through, I was impressed by the skill and detail paid to every scene. The pictures truly brought the words to life in an imaginative way. Even if the poems themselves weren't always my style, I could appreciate the passion behind each depiction.

While the intended audience wasn't exactly obvious, I still found things to appreciate within its pages despite likely skewing younger than intended. The illustrations alone kept me engaged even if all the poetry didn't resonate. Sometimes taking a chance outside your regular tastes can uncover something new; I'm always up for discovering fresh creative talents.

I feel totally mixed about this. I really liked the illustrations. They're all-consuming. Every time you look, you'll see a detail you've missed previously. I loved how bright and bold the colours were. I found the text disappointing though. It didn't flow or seem to match the pictures. It felt stilted and a bit like the author had tried to rhyme something and then given up. I couldn't see any pattern in the text that lasted longer than a few lines and it felt clumsy. At first, I wondered whether it was originally written in another language and had been really badly translated. I also found the text difficult to read on the page, as it is so small that it doesn't stand out against the colour behind it. I love the idea though and the illustrations and would be interested to see how it would look as a hard copy.

The art in this book was so whimsical and stunning. Loved the art, that's for sure. Wish the writing on the book was more readable though because the art work was just popping to the front.

Dreaming amidst "Sunflowers Rising in a Midnight Sky", spinning shimmery snowflakes, and witnessing fireworks light up the heavens' floor, "Sunflowers Rise in a Midnight Sky" sweeps young readers into a world of enchantment. This delightful children's book, adorned with engaging, colorful illustrations, sparks imagination effortlessly. Its pages are a canvas of whimsy, inviting children on an adventure where imagination knows no bounds. An essential addition to any classroom or library, "Sunflowers Rise in a Midnight Sky" is a treasure trove of magic, inspiring young minds to dream, create, and explore the wonders of their imagination.