Flashlight

Silvery-gray gouache illustrations on thick black pages set the tone for this nighttime nature walk. A boy trains his flashlight on various items, making full-color details visible in its arc. Small die-cuts and occasional spots of color highlight other details. In a gently fantastical turn, the animals he’s been observing use the flashlight to get him safely back. An inventive wordless offering.

A child, flashlight in hand, leaves his cozy tent and embarks on a nighttime nature walk in this inventive wordless offering. Silvery-gray gouache illustrations on thick black pages set the tone for the in-the-dark adventure. As the boy trains his flashlight on various items in the woods, full-color details become visible in the flashlight's arc. After locating his boots, he then finds some bats, a stream, a number of other animals and plants, and a strawberry snack. Careful looking allows readers to follow the nighttime creatures throughout the book both in the light and the dark. Small die-cuts highlight other details out of the flashlight's range, as do occasional spots of well-placed color. When the boy trips on a rock and drops his flashlight, the story turns gently fantastical as the animals he's been observing take the light and turn it on him. Ultimately, they use it to get him safely back to his tent. This visual exploration of the concept of dark and light provides plenty of clever details with which readers can create their own narratives. julie roach