NINA AND THE MISSING NIGHT

When nighttime never arrives, a young girl sets out to find out why in Paruzel-Gibson’s picture book.

Each evening, young Nina takes a book to bed, while Night, personified as a human with pale blue skin, sits nearby to listen to the girl read aloud. (Nina is shown with pale skin; other characters have an array of skin tones.) But one day, Night doesn’t show up: The sun shines on, while the townspeople use the extra daylight to run errands and play outside. “Nina missed starlight, dancing fireflies, and sweet dreams,” so she packs a bag and sets out to find Night. She finds her in a cave in the woods, feeling sad and believing that no one would miss darkness, but Nina reminds her, “The world needs rest.” Nina coaxes Night from the cave and, at last, the sun sets, sending everyone—including Nina—to sleep. For young readers afraid of nighttime, this will be an ideal book: There’s no moralizing or admonishment, just a calming story showing that everyone—kids, adults, plants, and animals—all need to rest, and that darkness is kind, not scary. This message is skillfully bolstered by Lafrentz’s ink-and-watercolor illustrations, which deftly use color to show the oppressive ocher of endless sun and the calming blue of night.

A gentle reminder of the importance of the dark.