The House in the Night

Review of The House in the Night ill. by Beth Krommes, by Susan Marie Swanson From Booklist

A young girl is given a golden key to a house. “In the house / burns a light. / In that light / rests a bed. On that bed / waits a book.” And so continues this simple text, which describes sometimes fantastical pleasures as a bird from the book spirits the child through the starry sky to a wise-faced moon. The cumulative tale is a familiar picture-book conceit; the difference in success comes from the artwork. Here, the art is spectacular. Executed in scratchboard decorated in droplets of gold, Krommes’ illustrations expand on Swanson’s reassuring story (inspired by a nursery rhyme that begins, “This is the key of the kingdom”) to create a world as cozy inside the house as it is majestic outside. The two-page spread depicting rolling meadows beyond the home, dotted with trees, houses, barns, and road meeting the inky sky, is mesmerizing. The use of gold is especially effective, coloring the stars and a knowing moon, all surrounded with black-and-white halos. A beautiful piece of bookmaking that will delight both parents and children. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Ilene Cooper

I wanted to take the illustrations in this book and frame them for the wall. Each page was so visually appealing, it drew you in. The simplicity of the illustrations coupled with the simplicity of the words, made the book a joy for a bedtime story. The attention to detail was especially appreciated when my oldest looked for markings in the first house in the beginning so she could find it in the town at the end of the book. It is a must have once again for the elementary library and may even be able to be used with older students because of the style of the illustrations being so unique in children's literature.