Switch on the Night

 

Switch on the Night

Ray Bradbury

pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon 1983

Wonderful book for a child afraid of the dark.  A little boy who doesn't like the Night is visited by the "Dark" in the form of a little girl.  In Bradbury's creative poetry she shows him that putting out the porch light is not "switching off the light.  No not at all!  It's simply switching on the Night."  And switching on the Night switches on the crickets and frogs and stars and even the moon.  Meanwhile the Dillon's pictures are a magical Night feast!

Is This You?

Is This You?

Ruth Krauss and Crockett Johnson 1973

What do you look like?  How do you travel or take a bath or live?  This book asks these questions and offers some silly answers.  And then it instructs you to make your very own book about yourself.  

Men and Gods

 

Men and Gods

Rex Warner 

illustrated by Edward Gorey 2008

Score at the thrift store!  I'm living with two Latin scholars so we're always drawn to classical myths and history.  Not too many of Gorey's illustrations, but the ones included are just what we like!

Nothing At All

This was a new find for me, although we are are certainly familiar with (and love) Wanda Gag's "Millions of Cats".  Here is an adorable tale about three puppies, one of which is invisible, and how they all end up together with a little girl and boy. 

Nothing At All

Wanda Gag

A Child's Garden of Verses illustrated by Tony Brice

A Child's Garden of Verses

Robert Louis Stevenson

illustrated by Tony Brice

These little vintage copies are such a treasure!

Music for the End of Time

Music for the End of Time

Jen Bryant 2005

illustrated by Beth Peck

 Lemony Snicket mentions this story and music in his new book Poison for Breakfast (a fantastic read!).  I immediately called to mind this picture book that ended up on our shelves somewhere along the way.  It wasn't the illustrations that drew me to it, but the true story of Olivier Messiaen, a musician who wrote the piece "Quartet for the End of Time" and performed it as a prisoner of war.  I hate to admit it, but when Charlotte and I listened to the piece after reading the story, we were a little disappointed.  Musically we both didn't care for it!  But the story of his composition is very moving.

Whisperings and Other Things

Whisperings and Other Things

Dahlov Ipcar 1967

This is why I stop at the book section at the thrift store and think 'Let me just take a look..."  I found this lovely collection of Ipcar's light poems with her wonderful illustrations.