This is the fourth title in Catherine Rayner’s picture book  series around Molly (a rabbit), Olive (an owl), and Dexter (a fox). Young children (and adult readers) will appreciate the change in atmosphere that Rayner creates with words and expressive mixed media (watercolor and marker) illustrations as the friends navigate their way from the warm light of the setting sun through the feelings of worry and anxiety that the dark can bring.

There is a quiet, gentle tone to the text and pictures as the sun sets, and the everyday noises and sights of the daylit world. The tone and images shift into something less familiar and more sinister as the shadows lengthen and it gets darker and darker.

The three friends take turns getting worried, and then relieved at the realization that the mysterious sounds, shadows, and sensations are simply the ordinary things they see during the day. This would be a sweet story to read at bedtime, if it ended there. It becomes a better story as the friends are caught in a rainstorm. At first, the three are scared as they try to run from the feeling of something falling on  on their heads, and then the relief and delight that it’s actually just rain – nothing to be fear and an experience to enjoy.

They start seeing the night differently then, and Rayner transforms the shadowy, frightening landscape into something magical. The luminous illustrations and language bring the story depth, humor and real emotion, taking it beyond “don’t be afraid of the ordinary things in the dark” to “the quiet dark can feel magical”.  Highly recommended for picture book collections.

Deanna Contrino, SLMS
K-2 Resource Librarian, Scarborough Schools