The House In The Night

Bibliography:
Swanson, Susan Marie, THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. by Beth Krommes, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: Boston. 2008 ISBN: 0618862447

Plot Summary:
Taking the shape of a nursery rhyme told line by line, the story follows a child going to her home and finding comfort in a book. The child receives a key, which let her into her home. Once in the home, the child reads through a book that takes her on a journey through the town and back to the safety of her home. A quiet, reassuring picture book that is reminiscent of GOODNIGHT MOON, the book is illustrated in stark black with golden highlights.

Critical Analysis:
The story is simple and patterned, something that is relevant and important for those children just learning to read. By repeating patterns, with corresponding pictures, a connection is made between the reader and the book. The actual story within the work is one with which many children can identify: home is where you feel safe and where all of the things you know are. By drawing this parallel, a young reader's attention may be captured and kept.

Illustrations to this story are in two colors, black and gold, which makes the featured elements of the work focal points. Although there are only two colors, the pictures are highly textured and detailed with easily identifiable items, like houses, flowers and birds, included for the intended reader. Krommes does extra work in using the black in different strengths, developing dark and light in each picture and utilizing the difficult art technique of scratchboard.

Awards and Reviews:
Caldecott Winner, 2009

"Gentle bedtime reading, consider this a book that is designed to illuminate a child's dreams." - Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal

"This volume's artful simplicity, homely wisdom and quiet tone demonstrate the interconnected beauty and order of the world in a way that both children and adults will treasure." - Publisher's Weekly

Connections:
*A librarian may want to focus on the importance of the use of the golden color within the book. Asking children what is highlighted and what the reasons that they are can help focus connecting the words in the book and the pictures.
*Relating this work with another one about nighttime (GOODNIGHT MOON) may help children to identify themes. A discussion about the difference between the books can be started and a list can be made of those differences.

BOOK COVER FOUND ON: http://awesomestorytime.wordpress.com/2009/02/19/its-bedtime/