NO STAR NIGHTS

A window to the past: what it was like to live in a steel town in the 1950's. The narrator describes Dad's work on the night shift (operating a crane to lift steel ingots into a fiery pit) and the precious family time when he was neither at work nor asleep; special days--a Fourth of July parade or a trip to Pittsburgh to see the Pirates game; but especially the presence of the mill itself--its awesome size and dangers; its looming profile; the pervasive grit it generated; its glowering light, filling the sky and blotting out the stars. In a series of paintings that are formal in style, with soft-edged yet sculptural figures, Johnson captures the story's nostalgia for the heroic work, affectionate family, and simpler time. A powerful introduction for both author and illustrator.