Nightsong

by Ari Berk (Author) Loren Long (Illustrator)

Nightsong
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A breathtaking picture book illustrated by mega-bestseller Loren Long, about a young bat setting off into the world using only his good sense!

Sense is the song you sing out into the world,

and the song the world sings back to you.

With these words, Chiro's mother sends him off into the night for the first time alone. It's an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.

This beautiful and touching coming-of-age story, with mesmerizing artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long and lyrical text from Ari Berk, conveys a heartwarming and universal message: No matter how far away you go, you can always find your way home.

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Publishers Weekly

Berk (The Secret History of Giants) presents a delicate, lyrical story about independence, trusting one's instincts and abilities, and bats. Written in passionate prose-poetry, it stars Chiro, a bat who is nervous about his first solo venture. Momma reassures him that his "good sense" will help him find his way. "Sense is the song you sing out into the world, and the song the world sings back to you." It's a brilliant description of echolocation and an equally strong metaphor for the logic and perception that human children can use to cut through fear. Long's (Otis and the Tornado) soft lines convey the concept clearly; surrounded by ink-black night, Chiro's song illuminates a cone-shaped area in front of him, which reveals trees, geese, and other surprises in the dark. The only odd note is Chiro himself; Long opts for an anthropomorphized hero with huge ears, fuzzy texturing, and a quizzical look--he's more flying teddy bear than bat. Still, if his cuddly looks and Berk's insights make bats and their swooping flight less mysterious, it's all for the good. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2—T. Ryder Smith brings a poet's cadence to his reading of Berk's story (S & S, 2012) about Chiro, a young bat's first solo journey into the night. It imagines his initial fear and building confidence as he discovers his song, or the echo that sings back to him, as he learns to find his way in the dark. Smith captures the young bat's questions and the mother's belief that her son can get his own breakfast this time. Voicing the question, "What is sense?," Smith captures the wonder of a child, followed by the mother's calm release when she "let him go" with an equally profound delivery. As Chiro begins to understand how his song works to show him the way, Smith's voicing becomes bolder. Have the book available so that listeners can see Loren Long's beautiful acrylic-and-graphite illustrations. The author's final note explaining the inspiration for the name Chiro is also narrated. This story works as a wonderful introduction to a unit on echolocation or a study of bats.—Janet Thompson, West Belmont Branch, Chicago Public Library, IL

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

* Exquisite design coupled with evocative illustrations enrich this charming tale of a little bat taking his first solo flight and how he learns to "see" with his "good sense," otherwise known as echolocation.... Young ones will relate to Chiro and cheer as he gains confidence with his newfound skill and will be deeply satisfied flying along on his sensory-rich journey.—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Ari Berk
Ari Berk is the author of the Undertaken trilogy and Nightsong, illustrated by Loren Long. He works in a library filled to the ceiling with thousands of arcane books and more than a few wondrous artifacts. When not writing, he moonlights as professor of mythology and folklore at Central Michigan University. He lives in Michigan with his wife and son. Visit him at AriBerk.com.

Loren Long illustrated President Barack Obama's Of Thee I Sing; the newest version of The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper; Madonna's second picture book, Mr. Peabody's Apples; Nightsong by Ari Berk; Frank McCourt's Angela and the Baby Jesus; Love by Matt de la Peña; and If I Was the Sunshine by Julie Fogliano. He also wrote and illustrated the Otis series and was part of the Design Garage for Jon Scieszka's Trucktown series. Loren's work has appeared in Time, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic. He lives with his wife and two sons in Cincinnati, Ohio. Visit him at LorenLong.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781416978862
Lexile Measure
790
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 25, 2012
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013000 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | General
JUV002160 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Mammals
Library of Congress categories
Mother and child
Bats
Echolocation (Physiology)
Young Hoosier Book Award
Nominee 2015 - 2015

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