GROWL

A growling tummy prompts a child to head for the kitchen for a midnight snack.

As the light-skinned protagonist prepares some toast, a host of animals have the same idea—the household dog and the cat would both like some, so the child obliges. They’re soon joined by wilder and wilder guests: a mouse, bunnies, and a…snake?! But yes, even serpents are welcome, as are a panda, a koala, an elephant, a sloth, and more. After providing the animals with toast, the child still has a “GRRRROWL!” in their stomach and reaches for more bread—only to realize the bag is empty. But the guests have a surprise for our protagonist. In this ode to toast, a deep purple background signals nighttime. An abrasive yet faded pastel palette layers onto the purply-black backing, suggesting an older storybook style. The narrative is fairly simple; toast is the main event, though Corace also conveys the importance of sharing and considering others’ needs. The use of dark negative space might be disorienting to some, as it gives the overall feeling of watching a crew of animals having a raucous fete but from an odd distance. Still, animal lovers may enjoy this midnight feast. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Dreamlike and quirky.