Small Blue and the Deep Dark Night

PreS-Gr 2—An endearing stuffed rabbit wakes up "in the deepest, darkest hour of the night." Convinced that goblins and gremlins lurk in the darkness, Small Blue peers around her room with wide eyes and then shouts for her friend Big Brown. The furry bear arrives and calms her fears by asking, "How do you know it wasn't a delightful doggies' Saturday-night unicycle convention?" He suggests that they go for a cup of warm milk. When they enter dark hallway and then the kitchen, the bunny's anxiety returns, but again the bear proposes wacky but comforting alternatives. As they sit together, sipping from steaming mugs, Small Blue and Big Brown look at the night sky, pretending the stars are running a relay race around the moon. By adopting her wise friend's positive outlook and using her imagination, Small Blue is no longer afraid of the deepest, darkest hour of the night. Davis's digital paintings expressively capture Small Blue's confusing emotions particularly in an early spread showing her alone in her single bed set against a vast navy background. Equally evident in both the illustrations and the narrative is the sense of comfort and reassurance the large bear provides to his little friend. Serenity reigns in the penultimate spread, in which Small Blue and Big Brown snuggle, mugs in hand, as they watch the stars. Pair this story with Michel Gay's Zee Is Not Scared (Houghton, 2004).—Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA