The Way Home in the Night

Starred review from February 6, 2017
A mother carries her child home at nightfall through quiet city streets. They’re rabbits—rabbits who wear clothing and walk upright—and the city is populated with other assorted animals, all going about their business. “I hear a phone ring,” the child rabbit says. Through a window, readers see a ram in shirtsleeves answering the phone. “A light flickers. Maybe someone is watching TV.” Through another window, a bear sits in front of a television. Other animals are seen, each with its own story. Once the child rabbit is home and in bed, her thoughts wander. “Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed?” she wonders. Miyakoshi (The Storm) shows the ram in his bathroom, toothbrush in hand; she revisits the others, too. A web of enchantment draws readers into this affecting story. The chance to see adults going about their lives unobserved, the arresting combination of animal features and human surroundings, the classical proportions of Miyakoshi’s charcoal drawings, and the way that a day’s events replay and trigger thoughts in the moments before sleep all combine in a distinctive nighttime treasure. Ages 3–7.

Starred review from March 1, 2017
A fully anthropomorphic mother rabbit carries her sleepy bunny home as the youngster contemplates the comforting sights and sounds of the city at night. Illuminated windows glow like portals into other worlds, capturing reassuring vignettes on Miyakoshi's pages. Steam rises around a restaurant chef; bookstore displays are taken in; a TV light flickers, and the scent of pie beckons. When father lovingly tucks his bunny in bed, the heaviness of sleep, the warmth of the blankets, and the gentle night air are so deliciously palpable young readers will be lulled into a soporific state. Through the artist's use of perspective and environment, she cleverly makes readers feel like observers, much like the bunny narrator. Done in pencil and charcoal on textured paper, this combination suggests the illusion of film grain; in addition, the use of rounded panels offers a cinematic feel, like frames in a moving picture. A mostly monochromatic palette highlights the warmth of the bunny's home and the evening lights, and Miyakoshi's use of singular images creates a calming pace. Originally published in Japan, this reflective, dreamy tale with its timeless art is a must for the bedtime shelf. (Picture book. 3-7)

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March 1, 2017

K-Gr 2-A mother rabbit walks home carrying a small, sleepy bunny in her arms. As they walk, the bunny thinks about the city at night. Familiar shops and restaurants close, and apartments with lights inside shine brightly in the darkness, giving glimpses into the lives of those inside. A flickering light makes the bunny wonder if someone is watching TV, an open window shows two mice hugging goodbye, and the sounds of a party spill into the evening. After being tucked into bed, the bunny thinks about what is happening to each of the animals seen on the walk home: "Snug under my covers, I think about the way home. Are the party guests saying goodnight? Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed?" Although the bunny's thoughts range far and wide, the final message emphasizes the safety and familiarity of home. Miyakoshi's textural charcoal and gouache paintings are perfectly suited to portray a dark urban setting, evoking the quiet magic of walking along the street, with lights glowing out of unshuttered homes. As in The Tea Party in the Woods, the characters are drawn as humanoid figures with different types of animal heads. They generally have wide, round, unblinking eyes; some readers may find this detail unsettling, but it helps create an otherworldly effect for this dreamy tale. VERDICT This contemplative story is a fresh addition to the bedtime shelf and a worthy offering for most collections.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

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