Night Shadows First Review!

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Night Shadows

Night Shadows first review—a starred one in Kirkus!

★ Night Shadows

by Barbara DaCosta, illustrated by Ed Young 

“Nocturnal shadows are what fall on an old woman’s garage wall as kids repeatedly spray it with graffiti. On the first evening, Mrs. Lucy’s body also casts an imposing shadow in her doorway’s yellow light as the children escape into the blue darkness. The dramatic, diagonal figure recalls Young’s rendering of the mother catching her son in DaCosta’s Nighttime Ninja (2012). The next day, a group of boys—silhouetted as a unit—exiles a younger sister as they prepare to play baseball. Tasha encounters Mrs. Lucy painting over the words (which readers never see). The girl offers to help on this day and the next, milk and cookies are her compensation….

The rich, restrained text and visually exciting collages build suspense and surprise in tandem. Readers will turn back, now detecting subtle clues.

Conversations about motivations and actions will abound as children absorb the impact of grace. (Picture book. 4-7)”

To read the full review, visit Kirkus Reviews.

Now available for pre-order. RELEASE DATE: Nov. 17, 2020