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Beatrice Likes the Dark

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Beatrice likes the dark. She likes black clothes, graveyard picnics, and a sky full of stars. Her sister, Roo, likes the light. She likes bright clothes, picking strawberries, and hot, sunny days. Beatrice and Roo are nothing alike and don’t understand each other. Can Beatrice help Roo love the dark as much as she does? Can Roo help Beatrice love the light? Or are they simply too different to get along? 
 
With lushly detailed artwork, award-winning illustrator Khoa Le brings to vivid life acclaimed author April Tucholke’s heartwarming, slightly spooky tale about two very different sisters who learn to celebrate their individuality, understanding that love runs deeper than their differences. 
 

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 13, 2022

2 people are currently reading
3072 people want to read

About the author

April Genevieve Tucholke

14 books1,649 followers
April Genevieve Tucholke is the author of Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, Between the Spark and the Burn, Wink Poppy Midnight, The Boneless Mercies, and Seven Endless Forests. She also curated the horror anthology Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. Her books have been published in sixteen countries, and have received ten starred reviews. They have been selected for the Junior Library Guild, Kids' Indie Next picks, and YALSA Teens Top Ten. When she's not writing, April likes walking in the woods, exploring abandoned houses, and studying poison. She currently resides in Oregon wine country.

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5 stars
325 (46%)
4 stars
241 (34%)
3 stars
115 (16%)
2 stars
17 (2%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
Profile Image for Diana.
896 reviews726 followers
October 10, 2022
Beatrice likes the dark. I can relate, Beatrice! This beautiful children’s book is about sisters learning to appreciate their differences. The illustrations are gorgeous.
Profile Image for A.G. Howard.
Author 21 books9,080 followers
October 13, 2022
What a lovely little tale of sisterhood and opposites making the world go round. Charming prose and enchanting pictures. A perfect fall picture book (or anytime of year!). <3
Profile Image for Nursebookie.
2,916 reviews463 followers
September 18, 2022
I adored this beautiful picture book about sisters who are different and love each other for their differences. Uniqueness is embraced and understanding for each other is what you learn from each other. Such a wonderful way of telling this story!
Profile Image for TL *Humaning the Best She Can*.
2,380 reviews170 followers
November 1, 2022
Artwork: 4 stars 🌟
Story and characters: 4 stars 🌟
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Listened to the author read it on Instagram while showing the illustrations. (She did a good job reading it)

Really enjoyed the story and I kept rewinding to look at the art:)

Not to overuse the words but a sweet and lovely story that got me smiling. (Needed that)
Profile Image for Stefan Bachmann.
Author 11 books567 followers
October 24, 2022
Picnics in graveyards, and potions in attics. This is a beautifully illustrated, poetically told tale of sisterhood and overcoming differences. I love it.
Profile Image for Rod Brown.
7,528 reviews288 followers
March 13, 2025
Baby's first goth?

Beatrice likes the dark and dresses appropriately. Her sister Rue likes the light and fears the dark.

My wife read this aloud to my daughter and me, and after a lingering visit to the attic and a scene of the sisters sharing a bed, I mentioned I was unaware that V.C. Andrews had written a picture book. After a quick check of the cover to reassure I was joking, we finished the book but then ended up discussing Flowers in the Attic for the next half hour. I have never actually partaken myself, but the other two had, and my daughter had coincidentally watched the first filmed version the very night before.

The conversation was much better than this book could hope to be.
Profile Image for Jen.
3,525 reviews27 followers
June 25, 2022
The artwork was pretty and the story was sweet, about two sisters who are almost literally as different as night and day, but still love each other anyway. They share what they love with each other and respect what the other loves, even if they don’t like it themselves. What the world needs more of, being invited into where others are and respecting their space, while also sharing their space as well. 4, I love the art, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lupe.
1,425 reviews
May 19, 2022
I think this book is beautiful. I can think of several students who would gravitate to the dark setting. I really enjoyed the light setting, too. I may purchase this for friends who love the Nightmare Before Christmas.
Profile Image for Gabi.
Author 5 books88 followers
October 31, 2022
When their differences seem to define them, can two sisters find common ground?

Evocative and beautifully illustrated, this picture book is also a perfect choice for Halloween!
Profile Image for Bec_A_Book.
85 reviews
December 30, 2024
Charming. People are all different and that’s what makes the world beautiful and balanced.

Loved the pictures and the message
Profile Image for Kate.
1,129 reviews57 followers
October 24, 2022
|| BEATRICE LIKES THE DARK ||

Beatrice likes the dark. She likes black clothes, graveyard picnics, and a sky full of stars. Her sister, Roo, likes the light. She likes bright clothes, picking strawberries, and hot, sunny days. Can Beatrice help Roo love the dark, as she does? Can Roo help Beatrice love the light? Or are they simply too different to get along?
✍🏻
I simply cannot get enough of this picture book! Maybe it's because I have a soft spot in my heart for a story of two sisters, one light, one dark. Or maybe it's the absolutely gorgeous illustrations. Or the funky house full of cats that they live in, mixing potions in the attic. (Practical Magic Movie Vibes). It may be all these things but it is also a very tender and touching book about individuality and loving each other above our differences. Bravo!👏🏻 🖤

Gifted from the publisher opinions are my own.

For more of my book content check out instagram.com/bookalong
48 reviews8 followers
September 28, 2022
Beautiful story about two very different sisters with amazing beautiful illustrations!
58 reviews
November 3, 2022
Can I give this book all the stars?
Ahhh, so many pieces of this make my heart sing.
The artwork is detailed enough to be real, but messy enough to be imaginative.
The story is deep and lovely and true.
The voice is playful, childlike and funny.
The characters hold space for each other.
I cried, in public, holding this book and reading it for the first time.
Profile Image for Jeremy.
1,398 reviews60 followers
December 30, 2022
Really great illustrations, full of witchy whimsy. Not sure if kids would like this, but goth girls who are bewildered by their basic sister who shops at Lululemon would resonate with this.
Profile Image for Villain E.
4,067 reviews20 followers
January 14, 2023
Stylish. Will probably appeal to adults or teens more than kids. Beatrice likes dark clothes and black cats and gloomy attics. Her sister Roo likes bright colors and butterflies and strawberries. They manage to find some common ground.
37 reviews
October 4, 2022
I loved this book. It’s beautiful pictures show the story of two very different characters one is dark and the other is light. It shows that we can get along with people who are different than us. I also love the representation for students who may not be rays of sunshine and shows them that they are still beautiful and unique.
Profile Image for Cristy Villemaire.
344 reviews30 followers
November 14, 2022
I absolutely loved this picture book. The cover immediately draws you in and hypnotize you with its amazing color scheme. Inside, the story introduces Beatrice, a girl who loves the dark. From her clothes to having picnics in the graveyard. We also meet Beatrice's little sister Roo. The two of them couldn't be any more different. Roo loves sunshine, picking fruit, and doesn't like the darkness that much.

Will the sisters be able to see eye to eye? What happens when two sisters are so different, but their love for each other is extremely strong. I could literally read this every day and night. My five year old daughter loved this story. The illustrations are like anything I've seen in a picture book.
Profile Image for Amanda Thompson.
80 reviews34 followers
September 23, 2022
This book has a lovely story and gorgeous illustrations. Just...wow. I adore this book.
Profile Image for Justine Barr.
445 reviews11 followers
September 14, 2022
This story is told in beautiful prose surrounded by whimsical illustrations, and Sophie and I were captivated from cover to cover!

The dedication from the author really says it all…”To those who are afraid of the dark, and to those who are afraid of the light…the world needs you both.”
Profile Image for Angela.
211 reviews
January 29, 2025
This book is a love letter to Autumn and all things fun and spooky. It was a very empathetic story about 2 sisters who are very different but realize that their differences can be used to help each other through difficult experiences. The art work by Khoa Le is just gorgeous and I loved the exquisite writing as well. It was a wonderful adventure that 2 sisters shared with each other. It's kind of hard to describe! It's such a wonderful book!
Profile Image for Dedra.
458 reviews10 followers
June 28, 2022
The illustrations are outstanding in this book. I love the lyrical text and the repetition of words that give the book a dream like feel. It is odd and strange, but somehow it all works. I feel like this a book that some quirky kid will pick up and fall in love with... while other kids may just go "huh?" after reading it. Definitely one I need to revisit.
Profile Image for Erin.
4,639 reviews57 followers
November 20, 2022
3.5

At first this presents as a dark and light story, but really it's a moon and sun story. Beatrice prefers the dark, but has a distinct moon vibe, silvery and ethereal and shadowy. Roo thrives in the light, but has a sunny personality and loves cheerful, warm, bold things. But this sisters support each other and love each other despite their differences.

Sweet, with gorgeous illustrations.
Profile Image for Sandy.
2,345 reviews15 followers
January 14, 2023
My goth child loved this book. A sweet story of two sisters who have nothing in common, except their love for each other. Lovely illustrations and a great read (especially for kids like mine who adore all things dark and spooky).
Profile Image for Patricia N. McLaughlin.
Author 2 books33 followers
July 4, 2023
What enchanting illustrations! These two sisters are as different as night and day, but they learn how to let love bridge their differences by sharing what makes each girl so special. The lyrical text and fascinating artwork provide a lovely bedtime story and dream fodder.
Profile Image for Jazz.
278 reviews41 followers
June 12, 2022
A sweet story about two sisters, one who loves darkness and one who loves light, finding a way to understand each other.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews

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