Night Light
(I Like to Read Comics)

Imaginative play brightens up bedtime rituals in this funny and sincere comic perfectly pitched for emerging readers.

Emberley balances relatable moments and adorable interactions with themes of problem-solving and appropriation versus sharing, while his deliciously quirky illustrations feature rich colors that elevate the cartoon-style characters. A truly stellar nighttime adventure.

Emberley’s adorable catlike protagonist, who previously appeared in I Did It!, returns in another charming early reader installment, this time featuring their parent as they conquer nighttime fears of the dark. In matching pink-and-green striped catsuits, parent and child share a bedtime story when a city-wide blackout hits. A plaintive “too dark” leads the parent to gather all the stars from the sky to fill their child’s room as night lights. When the moon cries out, bereft and afraid, the young hero finds courage to give the stars back. Emberley’s art beautifully illustrates the main character’s uncertainty in moody blues, transitioning to confidence with golden hues as they discover how to be brave for the moon. Fine pencil lines and vivid colors depict characters freely moving outside of the panel confines when needed, creating movement and smooth pacing. Dialogue text incorporates repetition and patterning to reinforce literacy skills, using contextual clues for vocabulary development. Young readers will relate to the anxiety of darkness and the comfort of a night light, shared story, and loving parent.

VERDICT A richly imagined story to help children find balance when they are afraid, this is highly recommended for all collections.

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