THE DARK IS FOR

An appreciation of darkness as experienced by three siblings and their dog.

Dramatic spreads featuring darkness in settings as varied as the ocean, the sky, the shade of a tree, and the interior of a chrysalis are inspired by short passages of blank verse, each ending in the titular phrase, completed. “The dark is for calming”—and for “cooling,” “shining,” “seeing,” and “storytelling.” Kohuth’s language and Derby’s art are, by turns, rich and expansive or precise and intimate. A mixed-media spectrum of colors—with blues ranging from pale to inky—convey the changing moods and perspectives. In a spectacular storm scene, Derby takes advantage of the way watercolor finds its own path as amorphous, pink-tinged clouds rise above a theatrical, blue-black gale that foregrounds lightning bolts. This dark is “for storming.” In other compositions, minuscule details delight: a goofy, banjo-picking frog serenading the moon; delicate flowers and insects; a rabbit, safe in its burrow. The first-person plural narration presents darkness as benevolent, sometimes mysterious, often protective: “When we tuck away treasure, / we find the dimmest spot.” After their time outdoors, the trio (two are brown-skinned; one has light skin) are welcomed home by their brown-skinned mama, who tells them not to “be afraid to let in the dark” seen behind closed eyelids. Even the most dark-averse readers will take heed; here, the dark is for dreamy coziness.

Bedtime (or anytime) bliss.