Shadow Night

by Kay Chorao

Frightened by a movement in his room, James gets reassurance from Mom and Dad that it was simply a shadow and they then show him how he can manipulate shadows himself by making shadow shapes of his very own.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2001

About the author

Kay Chorao is a children's writer and illustrator.

She was born Ann McKay Sproat in Elkhart, Indiana, United States, into a middle-class, suburban family. She loved and was encouraged to draw at a young age. She attended Laurel School in Shaker Heights, OH. Chorao went to Wheaton College, where in 1958 she earned a Bachelor of Arts in art history. After that, Chorao pursued her graduate study at Chelsea School of Art from 1958 to 1959.

Chorao got married and had three sons before moving to New York with her family. From 1966 to 1968, she studied book illustration at School of Visual Arts in New York.

Besides writing self-illustrated children's books, Chorao has been the illustrator for many books by Jane Yolen, Judith Viorst, Jan Wahl, and Marjorie Sharmat.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little boy named James is afraid of the shadows in his room when he is in his bed at night. His parents come in and show him shadows don't have to be scary. They make up a fun story about animals while making shadow puppets on the wall. A very sweet story to help children not be afraid of the dark. I loved how the parents cared for their child.

[Atlantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teaches kids about shadows at night, how they are made and how they can make some of their own. Bedtime fun for the read-to-me kids who don't like the dark.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

James is afraid of the shadows made on his wall by the moonlight coming in through the curtains. He calls for his parents. While his father pins back the curtains his mother tells him that it's only shadows and nothing to be afraid of. Then they all play a game of shadow puppets. His parents tell him a story while they make puppets on the wall with their hands. James becomes excited and joins in the fun.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too long for storytime but a great book for teaching kids how to make shadow puppets and alleviate their fear of the dark.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ginormous hit at storytime. Read it with Nathaniel Willy, Scared Silly and a few others, we talked about night fears and shadows and monsters that are not real...kids really into it.

[Maren Prestegaard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow. Really don't like this book about monsters. I mean do we have to introduce the idea that monsters are scary on Page 2? Inventive but bad.

[Marshmallowlemonade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boy can't sleep because of shadows on wall. Parents make shadow game/ story.

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

A boring story with very 90s styled illustrations.

[Elanor]

All by herself!