02/23/2015
Orion is a precocious boy with some big fears, and the biggest one of all is the dark. Although he tries to approach the problem analytically and ingeniously (he considers "dressing up like an owl," because "everyone knows that owls can see in the dark"), nothing can vanquish his anxiety. Then one night the dark becomes the Dark: a smiling, twinkling, biomorphic creature who extends a midnight-blue hand of friendship (thanks to a hand-shaped die cut). The Dark leads Orion on a night of friendly mischief (bed bouncing!), common-sense talk, and a trip into the very heavens where Dark reigns. Orion is sold: "I realized the Dark could be fun, and the Dark could be interesting, and the Dark could be magical." Yarlett (Sidney, Stella, and the Moon), working an evocatively nocturnal palette of greens and blues, draws on an impressive repertoire of compositional and narrative techniques to portray this touching celestial friendship. The varied images are gorgeous to look at, and they will leave readers feeling fortunate to have witnessed these two protagonists' starry-eyed mutual affection. Ages 3–7. Agent: Louise Lamont, LBA Books. (Mar.)
Reminiscent of Oliver Jeffers, Yarlett’s illustrations are a joyful mix of digital collage, sketchbook, and saturated watercolor done in a palette of blueberry and Starburst candies. Many pictures invite close inspection, adding quirky details that fill out the story. Orion’s adventures replace fear with fun, ending with a hug, a new friend, and a well- traveled pair of bunny slippers. Only sweet dreams ahead with this one.
—Booklist (starred review)
The mixed-media artwork is engaging and expressive.... A funny, savvy bedtime story that addresses common fears.
—Kirkus Reviews
The varied images are gorgeous to look at, and they will leave readers feeling fortunate to have witnessed these two protagonists' starry-eyed mutual affection.
—Publishers Weekly
Night-shy children will find companionship in Orion and comfort the Dark's gentle, friendly appearance, while grown-up readers will invent excuses to keep this book on their own shelves.
—BookPage
With detailed illustrations that pop off every page, this story is a wonderful exploration of how sometimes the things we fear the most are just things we don't understand
—Shelf Awareness
Strong support for those with unspoken fears, this book is a recommended first purchase for all libraries.
—School Library Journal
09/01/2015
K-Gr 2—Young Orion likes to doodle, and his notebook records his scary personal world—big dogs, wasps, girls, the ocean, spiders, heights, storms, and…THE DARK. He's listed many ways to solve his fear of the dark, from amazing inventions to capturing the sun, but at the end of each day, "it's bedtime again." One frustrating evening his nemesis returns in a personal visit. A surprising physical hand pops out as a page extension of the immense Dark greeting young Orion with an invitation to adventure. Orion then begins a time of exploration, understanding, and even enjoyment through visits to the magical shadows of his surroundings while he makes a discovery—"The Dark could be my friend. And nobody (not even me) is scared of their best friend." Digital cartoon illustrations with whimsical pencil doodles (including Orion in his bunny slippers) offer a wide range of fonts and humorous scribbled comments on a child's world. While the small-font doodles might not make this an easy read-aloud, a variety of text in illustrations, speech bubbles, Orion's notebook, and first-person narration create an intimate environment for an inquisitive individual reader with an interest in science and fantasy. VERDICT Strong support for those with unspoken fears, this book is a recommended first purchase for all libraries.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX
2015-02-03
A friendly, benign-looking creature called the Dark takes the boy Orion on a fear-conquering adventure. The mixed-media artwork is engaging and expressive. Orion is a comical-looking tyke with a large, round head under a striped, knitted cap. The Dark has a soft, rounded form. Its mottled-blue skin is bedecked with stars, and its features are two round, white dots above a simple, white smile. At two points, its kindly, huggable arm literally emerges from the page. Orion tells the tale, beginning by illustrating several of his fears. Children will identify strongly with some and giggle over others; they range from wasps to popping balloons to Grandma—pictured as a red-outlined old woman whose speech bubble says "ROAR." The Dark shows Orion that such places as Under the Bed and In the Basement can be not only fear-free, but fun. Orion eventually allows a trip to "the awful place where the dark is darkest of all." That turns out to be "the night sky," pictured here and throughout as a starry, light-filled place, and hard to match with Orion's declaration that it makes his "knees wobble" and his "tummy twist." Detracting from the artwork and some great humor are production problems: Some text is almost indiscernible against dark backgrounds, and likewise, some of the art is too small to read some words. A funny, savvy bedtime story that addresses common fears. (Picture book. 3-7)
