The Way Home in the Night by Akiko Miyakoshi

They generally have wide, round, unblinking eyes some readers may find this detail unsettling, but it helps create an otherworldly effect for this dreamy tale.

As in The Tea Party in the Woods, the characters are drawn as humanoid figures with different types of animal heads. Miyakoshi's textural charcoal and gouache paintings are perfectly suited to portray a dark urban setting, evoking the quiet magic of walking along the street, with lights glowing out of unshuttered homes. Are the party guests saying goodnight? Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed?' Although the bunny's thoughts range far and wide, the final message emphasizes the safety and familiarity of home. After being tucked into bed, the bunny thinks about what is happening to each of the animals seen on the walk home: 'Snug under my covers, I think about the way home. A flickering light makes the bunny wonder if someone is watching TV, an open window shows two mice hugging goodbye, and the sounds of a party spill into the evening. Familiar shops and restaurants close, and apartments with lights inside shine brightly in the darkness, giving glimpses into the lives of those inside. As they walk, the bunny thinks about the city at night. K-Gr 2-A mother rabbit walks home carrying a small, sleepy bunny in her arms. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title. A deeper reading could encourage critical thinking by comparing the different pastimes of the neighbors or, ultimately, what it means to be home.

This offers a perfect prompt for young children to create extensions of other stories they have read or heard. The book is intriguing in that it contains twice-told stories, once as they are observed and second as the bunny imagines them. Award-winning author and illustrator Akiko Miyakoshi's softly focused black-and-white illustrations with just a touch of neutral color have a dreamlike quality, just right for nodding off to sleep with. This beautiful picture book captures the magical wonder a child feels at being outside in the night. ?Are the party guests saying goodnight? Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed? And what of the footsteps that can be heard in the street as the bunny falls asleep?Will she take the last train home? But the bunny continues to wonder about the neighbors' activities. When they reach home, the father rabbit tucks the bunny into bed. ?Most of our neighbors are already home.? The bunny can see their lights in the windows, and hear and smell what they might be doing: talking on the phone, pulling a pie out of the oven, having a party, saying goodbye. ?My mother carries me through the quiet streets,? the bunny explains. A mother rabbit and her young bunny are on their way home in the dark night.

The Way Home in the Night by Akiko Miyakoshi