The House in the Night (Book)

Swanson, S. M. (2008). The house in the night. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN: 0-618-86244-7

Interest Level: Ages 5 and under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Light, Dark, Keys, House, Bedtime

Plot: A young child is given the key to the house.  The child goes inside and finds a book to read before bedtime.  The child reads the book and then is put safely to sleep.  The whole story stresses light glowing in the dark and the calm right before bedtime.

Personal Thoughts: The illustrations are of the highest quality, not surprising since this is a Caldecott Award winner, and expand on short and simple sentences found in the book.  The illustrations are themselves a contrast of dark textured scratch board and bright golden splashes of color that draw the reader's eye.  The mood of the book is calm, perfect for a bedtime story.  A Must Read this new book is sure to become a classic over the years.

Awards/Recognition:
Caldecott Award Winner (2009)
Minnesota Book Award for Children (2009)
ALA Notable Children's Books - Young Readers Category (2009)
Booklist Editors' Choice - Books for Youth - Young Readers Category (2008)

Other Books by the Author:
To be Like the Sun (2008); The First Thing My Mama Told Me (2002); Letter to the Lake (1998);