Caldecott Medal Winner, 2009
Swanson, S. (2009). The house in the night. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
1. What did I like or dislike about the book?
The text of this good night story is very "short and sweet," so when I first read it I didn't really understand why it was a medal winner. Then I went back and reread it a few more times, while slowly looking at the illustrations, and the story was brought to life in my eyes. Many children are afraid of the dark, and the way in which the illustrations are done gives the readers a warm, cozy feeling about the home, and the world, in the dark. The illustrations are done by Beth Krommes and are mostly in black and white on scratchboard with a few items on each page highlighted in a golden yellow to make them appear illuminated in the dark. After looking at the illustrations carefully I now understand why this book won the Caldecott Medal.
The story is about a little girl who is coming home in the dark with her mom and dad. After she gets ready for bed, she picks up a book that is lying on her bed and begins to read. She soon either imagines or dreams that a bird flies out of the book and takes her for a ride on its back outside in the dark. After the ride, the bird flies her back to her bed, and goes back into the book. At the end of the book, the girl's mother gives her a good night kiss and turns off the light as the text reads, "a home full of light." The reader gets the feeling through the tender illustrations and text that the light portrays the love the family shares.
2. What in my life may have influenced my reaction or response to this book?
I am an only child and the little girl in the story appears to be an only child because no other siblings are seen in the illustrations. I felt that my home was full of love and light, just like the home depicted in this story. As a little girl, I normally went to bed feeling warm, cozy, and loved, which are the feelings this book brought back to me.
3. How would I compare this book to another book or books?
I would compare this book to Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. The illustrations are key to the story in both books. My husband and I used to read Goodnight Moon right before bedtime to our two daughters when they were little. I was left with the same warm, cozy feeling after reading The House in the Night that I used to get after reading Goodnight Moon.
4. What new thing did I learn about children's literature in reading this book?
One thing that struck me when I read this book was how much importance illustrations can have on getting the story across. Since young children cannot read the words, the pictures are so important in getting them involved in the story. The text of this book may at times be too deep for a child to understand; however, the illustrations really tell the story on a child's level.
Swanson, S. (2009). The house in the night. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
1. What did I like or dislike about the book?
The text of this good night story is very "short and sweet," so when I first read it I didn't really understand why it was a medal winner. Then I went back and reread it a few more times, while slowly looking at the illustrations, and the story was brought to life in my eyes. Many children are afraid of the dark, and the way in which the illustrations are done gives the readers a warm, cozy feeling about the home, and the world, in the dark. The illustrations are done by Beth Krommes and are mostly in black and white on scratchboard with a few items on each page highlighted in a golden yellow to make them appear illuminated in the dark. After looking at the illustrations carefully I now understand why this book won the Caldecott Medal.
The story is about a little girl who is coming home in the dark with her mom and dad. After she gets ready for bed, she picks up a book that is lying on her bed and begins to read. She soon either imagines or dreams that a bird flies out of the book and takes her for a ride on its back outside in the dark. After the ride, the bird flies her back to her bed, and goes back into the book. At the end of the book, the girl's mother gives her a good night kiss and turns off the light as the text reads, "a home full of light." The reader gets the feeling through the tender illustrations and text that the light portrays the love the family shares.
2. What in my life may have influenced my reaction or response to this book?
I am an only child and the little girl in the story appears to be an only child because no other siblings are seen in the illustrations. I felt that my home was full of love and light, just like the home depicted in this story. As a little girl, I normally went to bed feeling warm, cozy, and loved, which are the feelings this book brought back to me.
3. How would I compare this book to another book or books?
I would compare this book to Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. The illustrations are key to the story in both books. My husband and I used to read Goodnight Moon right before bedtime to our two daughters when they were little. I was left with the same warm, cozy feeling after reading The House in the Night that I used to get after reading Goodnight Moon.
4. What new thing did I learn about children's literature in reading this book?
One thing that struck me when I read this book was how much importance illustrations can have on getting the story across. Since young children cannot read the words, the pictures are so important in getting them involved in the story. The text of this book may at times be too deep for a child to understand; however, the illustrations really tell the story on a child's level.
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