White, Dianne. Dark on Light. Beach Lane Books, 2022. 978-1-534-48789-5. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

As twilight arrives, three children head outside to explore. Equipped with a flashlight, they walk through the fields and into the forest, admiring the wonders of nature as they appear in the shadows of the night. Eventually, they make their way back home and snuggle into their cozy beds, where they will sleep until morning. Gorgeous illustrations and lyrical text make this a beautiful nod to nature’s hidden nighttime beauty.

THOUGHTS: I absolutely love the breathtaking artwork in this book. In the opening spread, twilight descends upon a farm in all of its colorful glory. Over the next couple of pages, the sky turns a color reminiscent of the most beautiful sunset and then eventually fades to black. Despite the darkness, however, the wonders of nature are illuminated by a flashlight and by the stars and moon. This book serves as a gentle, lovely reminder that even when things seem dark, there is always still beauty and light. Coupled with these gorgeous illustrations, the rhyming, repetitive text makes this a perfect bedtime read aloud for young children.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member