The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein (review)

The sky is black when the narrator’s cat, Sylvie, awakens him with a “Meow?” Although he’s initially annoyed (“It’s too late to go out, Sylvie …or is it too early?”), the boy eventually follows the cat through the darkened house and outside. There they join a throng of animals congregating in a yard transformed by starlight and shadows, and although the boy is content to marvel at the unfamiliar night, the animals are focused on some mystery that eludes him: “‘It’s coming,’ murmur all the animals. ‘It’s almost here!’” When the awaited event arrives, it is indeed transformational. Dawn brings colors back to the world, shuffles the nocturnal animals off to bed, and sends the energized boy running into the house to rouse his groggy family with “Good morning, everyone! It’s going to be a beautiful day!” The trip outdoors is a gentle adventure with a trusted feline friend as a guide, and the night itself inspires awe rather than terror, making this a cozy, comforting take on the dark. Night scenes in sooty black on gray reveal curved shapes and shadow-softened angles, with the only tinge of color coming from animal eyes (Sylvie’s are green and an owl’s are yellow). Pink-orange clouds, a couple of rosy lights in the windows, and the crimson crest of a perching bird signal dawn’s arrival, and as the sun breaks the horizon, the following spreads burst into a riot of bright yellows, spring greens, and pure blues. Although this could be an effective inoculation against night shivers, it would be even better as an invitation to set the alarm clock an hour earlier and bring the family outside to watch the sunrise.