Orion and the Dark

Orion is a precocious boy with some big fears, and the biggest one of all is the dark. Although he tries to approach the problem analytically and ingeniously (he considers "dressing up like an owl," because "everyone knows that owls can see in the dark"), nothing can vanquish his anxiety. Then one night the dark becomes the Dark: a smiling, twinkling, biomorphic creature who extends a midnight-blue hand of friendship (thanks to a hand-shaped die cut). The Dark leads Orion on a night of friendly mischief (bed bouncing!), common-sense talk, and a trip into the very heavens where Dark reigns. Orion is sold: "I realized the Dark could be fun, and the Dark could be interesting, and the Dark could be magical." Yarlett (Sidney, Stella, and the Moon), working an evocatively nocturnal palette of greens and blues, draws on an impressive repertoire of compositional and narrative techniques to portray this touching celestial friendship. The varied images are gorgeous to look at, and they will leave readers feeling fortunate to have witnessed these two protagonists' starry-eyed mutual affection. Ages 3-7. Agent: Louise Lamont, LBA Books. (Mar.)

K-Gr 2--Young Orion likes to doodle, and his notebook records his scary personal world--big dogs, wasps, girls, the ocean, spiders, heights, storms, and...THE DARK. He's listed many ways to solve his fear of the dark, from amazing inventions to capturing the sun, but at the end of each day, "it's bedtime again." One frustrating evening his nemesis returns in a personal visit. A surprising physical hand pops out as a page extension of the immense Dark greeting young Orion with an invitation to adventure. Orion then begins a time of exploration, understanding, and even enjoyment through visits to the magical shadows of his surroundings while he makes a discovery--"The Dark could be my friend. And nobody (not even me) is scared of their best friend." Digital cartoon illustrations with whimsical pencil doodles (including Orion in his bunny slippers) offer a wide range of fonts and humorous scribbled comments on a child's world. While the small-font doodles might not make this an easy read-aloud, a variety of text in illustrations, speech bubbles, Orion's notebook, and first-person narration create an intimate environment for an inquisitive individual reader with an interest in science and fantasy. VERDICT Strong support for those with unspoken fears, this book is a recommended first purchase for all libraries.--Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX