Readers share with a family the joy of a mindful nocturnal hike in Marie Dorleans's The Night Walk. This picture book is full of vivid sensory details and atmospheric illustrations that create an experience of nature that both the young and young at heart will certainly cherish.
Dorleans (The Epic Race) hooks her audience on the first page as the parents wake two sleeping children snuggled in their beds, "Wake up, you two... Let's go, so we get there on time." Where could the family need to go so late at night? What happens if they don't get there on time? The mystery is set. They walk through town, noticing the smell of flowers, the pavement "still warm from the heat of the day" and lights in various buildings. They continue on into the countryside where Dorleans entertains them with the wonders of nature: "We walked slowly, lulled by the rustling of the leaves above. Then suddenly.../ ...a lake! We stopped to play with the moon." Through the forest and up a hillside (with a break for a chance to admire the night sky), the family's nighttime exploits cover an array of outdoor wonders. The whole time, readers are reminded, "We need to keep walking, so we get there on time." The mystery is solved in a wonderfully satisfying, spectacular fashion at the book's conclusion.
In The Night Walk, Dorleans depicts the vastness that can be explored in a picture book with minimal words and a limited palette of primarily blue, black and white. Her text pairs with her beautifully detailed graphite pencil and watercolor art to emphasize the expanse of the natural world. The result is awe-inspiring. --Jen Forbus, freelancer