The Night Is for Darkness

PreS-Gr 1--The night can be frightening for young children. This sweet book helps them to realize that it is also full of beautiful surprises. The story follows two children and their father driving away from their house at night. With the help of car headlights and the full moon, the brother and sister are amazed at what they see. Deer are along the side of the road and hares are bouncing through the tall grass. A long and winding path through a forest is perfect for searching for animals of the night. The light shows squirrels climbing trees, mice and rabbits scurrying on the ground, and owls. The children see nature using other sources of illumination--lightning and fireflies light up the dark sky. The long, dark journey ends at their new house where their mother is waiting for them with open arms. This calming story for young readers has a soothing rhythm and flows easily. The illustrations are a perfect fit, with the dark background bringing the moonlit objects to the forefront to capture readers' attention. The information about nocturnal animals will help pique the interest of young listeners. VERDICT This is a beautiful bedtime story with a lilting text to lull little ones to sleep.--Barbara Spiri, Southborough Library, MA

On a moonlit night, a family leaves their old house--moving boxes atop the car, children peering wistfully from the backseat--to begin a road trip across state borders. The "bright golden beams" of the vehicle's headlights, the moon, and the young passengers' flashlights are the only sources of illumination in scenes awash in crepuscular colors, and Kuefler uses them to spotlight creatures (bunnies, bats, and owls hide and dart in the dark) and create a feeling of nocturnal adventure. Stutzman's rhyming text flows easily; the refrain--"the night is for"--lends a lullabylike rhythm. Upon the group's arrival, Kuefler uses lamps and candlelight to evoke the family's warm bond, but the verse falls flat as the focus shifts from nature to the indoors, where rhymes ("stories,/ for reading/ and telling.// Of magic and strangers,/ and beans/ they are selling") fail to conjure the outdoor lines' level of discovery. Even so, both nighttime and new experiences are full of mystery and the unknown, and this offering is couched in reassurance and comfort. Ages 4-8. (June)