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7th out of 37 books
—
87 voters
The House in the Night
Winner of the 2009 Caldecott Medal! A spare, patterned text and glowing pictures explore the origins of light that make a house a home in this bedtime book for young children. Naming nighttime things that are both comforting and intriguing to preschoolersa key, a bed, the moonthis timeless book illuminates a reassuring order to the universe.
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
May 5th 2008
by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
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This 2009 Caldecott Medal winner really is a classic in the making and my real regret is that this wasn't around when my daughter was a baby! This book is a sophisticated alternative to Goodnight Moon - good news for all you haters out there ;-)
I've never encountered anything like the illustrations in this book and, simply put, I love them! I've since learned this style is called scratchboard art, but I have a feeling that illustrator Beth Krommes broke the mold with this one. There are little...more
I've never encountered anything like the illustrations in this book and, simply put, I love them! I've since learned this style is called scratchboard art, but I have a feeling that illustrator Beth Krommes broke the mold with this one. There are little...more
Jun 09, 2009
Abigail
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone Who Loves Beautifully-Illustrated Picture-Books
Shelves:
picture-books
Review Temporarily Removed.
An enchanting story, full of beautiful simplicity and the type of circular storytelling that I loved as a child. The Caldecott-winning, scratchboard art illustrations are what really won me over, though. They are exquisite, intricate, unique and breathtaking! Amazing how such "dark" illustrations can radiate warmth and light--you'll feel the bright yellows glow right into your heart!
5 likes
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This gorgeous Caldecott winner deserved the medal for the scratchboard illustrations in black, white, and yellow. Beautiful in their simplicity, they take the reader on a nighttime fantasy flight on the back of a bird, a bird from the book on the bed, in the house unlocked by the key, under the light of the moon.
It's the sort of book you want to look at again and again. Just lovely!
It's the sort of book you want to look at again and again. Just lovely!
3 likes
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The Caldecott Medal Winner from 2009, The House in the Night; the illustrations not only support the limited text but the pictures are so detailed you can spot other areas of interest. For example, in the child's room a storybook is waiting for her on the bed, but depicted in the photo the child is going through her dresser. You can only imagine, is she getting out pajamas? letting her kittens out of the dresser? etc. Overall allowing for readers to fill in and find out from illustrated clues wh...more
Beginning with the bright yellow letters of the title and the bright yellow end papers, the reader's eye is drawn to ordinary objects: a key, a dog collar, a flower, amid the intricate black and white scratchboard illustrations. The light suggests comfort and safety as the world darkens to night and a little girl begins to read her book.
At this point however, the realistic story adds a magical element as the young protagonist flies out the window, teddy bear in hand, to explore her world with...more
At this point however, the realistic story adds a magical element as the young protagonist flies out the window, teddy bear in hand, to explore her world with...more
1 like
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Sometimes, just sometimes, you want to read a beautiful picture book. Not a pretty picture book or a mildly lovely one or a picture book that will please you the first ten times you read it to a child and then hardly anymore after that. No, I'm talking about a jaw-dropping, kick-you-in-the-pants, douse your cigar hussy of a beautiful picture book. The kind that works against your book-loving instincts, tempting you to rip out the pages and frame them on your wall. That kind of book. The first ti...more
This cumulative tale follows the pattern of nursery rhymes, naming common objects in a bedtime house. Open the door with the key, move into the warm glow of the lamp, discover the book on the bed, and away you fly. Out you go, into the night where the stars shine, filling the night sky with their glow and the moon beams upon you.
This book exudes warmth, comfort and blessings. The images done in black and white primarily are given beacons of warmth through the use of yellow. Done in a classic wo...more
This book exudes warmth, comfort and blessings. The images done in black and white primarily are given beacons of warmth through the use of yellow. Done in a classic wo...more
This one has a classic look and a classic feel -- from its scratch board, 3-colored (black, white, yellow) illustrations to its minimalistic and poetic text -- a great addition to bedtime lullaby stories. This one doesn't make me say, "Who needs another bedtime story? Don't we have ENOUGH?" Obviously, we don't since talented writers and artists like Swanson and Krommes still have new things to offer for new generations of children and their parents. The pictures are worthy of looking closely ove...more
I'm a sucker for this style of illustrations - it feels cozy and old-timey and perfect for a bedtime story, and it works well with the patterned structure of the story. I like the use of limited colors, so that the yellowy-orange really glows in the pictures and the text.
2009 Caldecott winner for illustration. I must admit...with some shame...that I didn't read it until it won, and then my expectations were so high that I was a little underwhelmed. After reading the many glowing professional reviews, I'm applying my most open mind. I did like the quiet simplicity of the text, and the "classic" feel of the whole thing: the cumulative rhyme hearkens back to pieces like "The House That Jack Built"; the scratchboard illustrations are quite folksy (black and white wi...more
Audience: The target age range for this book is 2nd to 4th grade students. I think the meaning behind the book may be too complex for younger student.
Appeal: The colors in this book are black, white and gold. This can make students feel calm. The pictures in the book are different from most books. The pictures look like they are drawn from pencils, which can be interesting to students. Students will like that this book has a pattern to it. They will find that everything is connected. Students w...more
Appeal: The colors in this book are black, white and gold. This can make students feel calm. The pictures in the book are different from most books. The pictures look like they are drawn from pencils, which can be interesting to students. Students will like that this book has a pattern to it. They will find that everything is connected. Students w...more
Audience: I feel that this book is most appropriate for children in the 2nd or 3rd grade. I think that 2nd and 3rd graders will respond well to the illustrator’s use of black, white, and yellow color.
Appeal: Second or third graders will have a good understanding of how each item mentioned in the text relates to either the previous or next item. Seeing how everything relates is a neat concept for the students to understand. The illustrator used a majority of black and white color, with subtle hin...more
Appeal: Second or third graders will have a good understanding of how each item mentioned in the text relates to either the previous or next item. Seeing how everything relates is a neat concept for the students to understand. The illustrator used a majority of black and white color, with subtle hin...more
The House in the Night was written in 2008 and won the Caldecott Medal (outstanding illustration) in 2009. The book tells more of a story with the pictures than it does with its words. The entire book is printed in black and white, using a golden yellow to accent various things. The brightness of the yellow in contrast, really draws the eye to the things it is representing whether it is a key, the sun, a book, or the stars. Some of the text is even printed in yellow. In the story, as the child’s...more
Book review for picture book #1
The House in the Night was written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes. Krommes won the Caldecott Medal in 2009 for this picture book. I have to admit I was originally drawn to this book by the cover illustration. It’s a bedtime story that is very similar in style to Goodnight Moon. It brings the reader full circle from beginning to end with predictable settings. The illustrations are what I believe would really attract a young reader.
The entire...more
The House in the Night was written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes. Krommes won the Caldecott Medal in 2009 for this picture book. I have to admit I was originally drawn to this book by the cover illustration. It’s a bedtime story that is very similar in style to Goodnight Moon. It brings the reader full circle from beginning to end with predictable settings. The illustrations are what I believe would really attract a young reader.
The entire...more
1. Mother Goose
2. This is a beautiful story of a little girl reading a story before bedtime and that story taking her on a journey. The illustrations are what really bring this book to life.
3. A. The story is a nursery rhyme type of book, with pictures beyond the imagination.
B. I loved this book when I saw the pictures. They are so eye-catching and really draw a reader into the story. I love how the light is on every page, with certain parts of each illustration colored golden yellow. It makes t...more
2. This is a beautiful story of a little girl reading a story before bedtime and that story taking her on a journey. The illustrations are what really bring this book to life.
3. A. The story is a nursery rhyme type of book, with pictures beyond the imagination.
B. I loved this book when I saw the pictures. They are so eye-catching and really draw a reader into the story. I love how the light is on every page, with certain parts of each illustration colored golden yellow. It makes t...more
1. Genre: Picture book - Concept
2. This story is about a little girl who's parents give her the key to the house which has a light on. It depicts how that light, lights up her home and through her book she can see that the bird soars throughout the sky and the sun and the moon light up the sky for the bird to see and that's how she sees at night too without her light on.
3. (A) The area for comment is in the illustrations
(B) The illustrations in this book are critical. The book is written in all...more
2. This story is about a little girl who's parents give her the key to the house which has a light on. It depicts how that light, lights up her home and through her book she can see that the bird soars throughout the sky and the sun and the moon light up the sky for the bird to see and that's how she sees at night too without her light on.
3. (A) The area for comment is in the illustrations
(B) The illustrations in this book are critical. The book is written in all...more
Genre: Other
Summary: This is a story highlighting recognizable features about a house in the night. A key to the house is given to a girl who discovers a book, goes on a reading adventure, and is then tucked into bed to sleep.
Critique: A. Use of color
B. This story's illustrations are all black and white except for specified pops of color throughout. The color usage in this book is very interesting and helps relate the pictures to the text. The author chooses specific things to color in yellow r...more
Summary: This is a story highlighting recognizable features about a house in the night. A key to the house is given to a girl who discovers a book, goes on a reading adventure, and is then tucked into bed to sleep.
Critique: A. Use of color
B. This story's illustrations are all black and white except for specified pops of color throughout. The color usage in this book is very interesting and helps relate the pictures to the text. The author chooses specific things to color in yellow r...more
This black and white with a tad bit of yellow picture book is one to remember for putting children to sleep! It to me seems as though it would be a great bedtime story book due to it’s vivid images and settle short sentences! "This is the Key of the Kingdom" in which the same cyclical nature of the narrative takes place, Swanson seeks to replicate the way the story looks and feels with her own book as well as expound upon it. The book starts out by stating simply, "Here is the key to the house,"...more
The House in the Night is a story that shares different aspects of the nighttime such as, a key, a bed, a book, a light, and the moon. The book goes through and shares all of these things, and then shares them backwards so the story end where it started.
The book has some aspects of the literary standards in chapter 2. The setting is described and seen through the pictures which show where the story is taking place and what is happening in the story. There aren't really any characters in the book...more
The book has some aspects of the literary standards in chapter 2. The setting is described and seen through the pictures which show where the story is taking place and what is happening in the story. There aren't really any characters in the book...more
I read the book A House In The Night by Susan Marie Swanson.
SUMMARY: The story explains a house in a neighborhood at night. It starts off by looking at a broad point of view (the whole neighborhood) then it slowly enters the house and focuses on a story book on a bed. Which i believe symbolizes a story being told at bedtime. Then it described the storybook that was on the bed and gradually escapes the book, goes back to the bed, and so on and so on until the last picture is the neighborhood aga...more
SUMMARY: The story explains a house in a neighborhood at night. It starts off by looking at a broad point of view (the whole neighborhood) then it slowly enters the house and focuses on a story book on a bed. Which i believe symbolizes a story being told at bedtime. Then it described the storybook that was on the bed and gradually escapes the book, goes back to the bed, and so on and so on until the last picture is the neighborhood aga...more
1. Elements of fantasy, (dream-like scene) but bill place in the "other" category
2. The house in the night is a comfy place, but what secrets does it hold? Enter into this house and journey out into the night in this boldly illustrated tale of light.
3. Critique
a. The simple text invites the reader to focus on the illustrations. The bright and bold images contrast beautifully with the simple color use (only three colors, black, white and yellow).
b. This book's bright and contrasting illustration...more
2. The house in the night is a comfy place, but what secrets does it hold? Enter into this house and journey out into the night in this boldly illustrated tale of light.
3. Critique
a. The simple text invites the reader to focus on the illustrations. The bright and bold images contrast beautifully with the simple color use (only three colors, black, white and yellow).
b. This book's bright and contrasting illustration...more
Genre: Picture book—Other or Controlled Vocabulary
Summary: This book shows young readers the reassurance of nighttime through a repetitive story about a house, like those of the readers.
Critique:
a. This book has two strengths, its illustrations and also the repetition of the story.
b. The 2009 Caldecott winner book shows readers wonderful black and white illustrations with a burst of yellow color throughout. This helps readers understand the setting of the book which is nighttime. Also, the ye...more
Summary: This book shows young readers the reassurance of nighttime through a repetitive story about a house, like those of the readers.
Critique:
a. This book has two strengths, its illustrations and also the repetition of the story.
b. The 2009 Caldecott winner book shows readers wonderful black and white illustrations with a burst of yellow color throughout. This helps readers understand the setting of the book which is nighttime. Also, the ye...more
The House in the Night
By Susan Marie Swanson
Pictures by Beth Krommes
Genre: Controlled Vocabulary
The House in the Night is a fun little story that repeats vocabulary and concept of the relationship between the key, the house, the light, the bed, the moon, the sun and so on.
Critique:
A. While this was not one of my favorite stories, it has earned the Caldecott Medal and must have some importance to win the honor. The repetition of the words is easy for children to understand and they like the rep...more
By Susan Marie Swanson
Pictures by Beth Krommes
Genre: Controlled Vocabulary
The House in the Night is a fun little story that repeats vocabulary and concept of the relationship between the key, the house, the light, the bed, the moon, the sun and so on.
Critique:
A. While this was not one of my favorite stories, it has earned the Caldecott Medal and must have some importance to win the honor. The repetition of the words is easy for children to understand and they like the rep...more
1. Genre: Controlled Vocabulary-The book has few words with many repeating words or lines.
2. Summary: The House in the Night is a great book for bedtime stories. The sleepy, yet beautiful black and yellow illustrations offer the reader with a scenic nighttime view. The circular text style takes the reader on a journey through a nursery rhyme type story which is revealed in the back of the book
3. Critique:
a. The aspect of this book I love most is hard to pick—the illustrations, color choice, or...more
2. Summary: The House in the Night is a great book for bedtime stories. The sleepy, yet beautiful black and yellow illustrations offer the reader with a scenic nighttime view. The circular text style takes the reader on a journey through a nursery rhyme type story which is revealed in the back of the book
3. Critique:
a. The aspect of this book I love most is hard to pick—the illustrations, color choice, or...more
In Marie Susan Swanson's The House in the Night, we learn about a house with a light burning inside. Inside the house is a child reading the book. As they read the book, they fall into the story and experience a world of stars and light, before returning back to the house in the night. The illustrations of this story are done in simple black and white with touches of yellow to illustrate objects like stars and lights. The illustrator creates depth with it's limited color scheme by incorporating...more
The House in the Night, by Susan Marie Swanson, is comforting book that any child would enjoy as a bedtime story. In this story, Swanson names various nighttime objects that can be found around a house; such as a bed and a book. The main character, a little girl, explores objects in her house as she is preparing to go to bed. Children will be able to relate to her as she puts on her pajamas, reads a book, and is tucked in by her mother. While there are minimal words in the story, the reader is a...more
Based off of a beloved children’s book or yore called “This is the Key of the Kingdom” in which the same cyclical nature of the narrative takes place, Swanson seeks to replicate the way the story looks and feels with her own book as well as expound upon it. The book starts out by stating simply, “Here is the key to the house,” and builds from there. There is no rhyming, as is typical of poetry directed at this age group, but despite that, there is a poetic quality to the writing. The book begins...more
Susan Marie Swanson writes The House in the Night which is inspired by the nursery rhyme beginning, “This is the key of the kingdom”. The book begins with a young girl receiving a golden key to a house. Each page adds another piece that is within the page before. For example, “In the house burns a light… In that light rests a bed. The text continues simply as the girl opens a book with a bird inside and ends up taking a ride on that bird’s back through the sky. She encounters the starry dark, th...more
The house in the night
Summary: This book is about things in and surrounding a house during the night. The text has one line per page and the story circles from the beginning to the end. Each item that is identified is then used on the next page so that all of the pages connect to each other. The illustrations are of black and white except for the shinning objects that are show in gold. This is a book that is perfect for bedtime reading for young readers.
Reflection: The House in the Night is ver...more
Summary: This book is about things in and surrounding a house during the night. The text has one line per page and the story circles from the beginning to the end. Each item that is identified is then used on the next page so that all of the pages connect to each other. The illustrations are of black and white except for the shinning objects that are show in gold. This is a book that is perfect for bedtime reading for young readers.
Reflection: The House in the Night is ver...more
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