The House in the Night

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Swanson, Susan Marie, THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT. Ill. By Beth Krommes. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston 2008, ISBN 9780618862443

Plot Summary

This picture book takes the reader through a journey into a house with a young child. This child is offered a key to a house and led to a waiting book. This book takes you on a journey through the sky, and eventually leads you back to the room, in the house, in the night. The scratchboard illustrations in this book are truly amazing, and really bring the words to life. While there are very few words in this book, the illustrations really add to the story, and let the imagination take flight. This book shows the imagination of a child, and the joy of reading, without ever stating it so plainly. The child is taken on a journey of the imagination, by simply opening the book on their bed, and then returns to fall fast asleep for the night.

Critical Analysis

This book would be great for younger elementary students, as there is a rhythm to it that is easy to follow, and the illustration will catch their eyes. This book was the winner of this year’s Caldecott award, solidifying its place as an important piece of children’s literature. Even without the illustration, the text creates a lovely rhyme, and gives the reader a sense of comfort and peace. This book can be enjoyed by children of all ages, and will surely become a classic!

Review Excerpt

School Library Journal (May 31, 2008)
“Swanson's words are short simple. "Here is the key to the house / In the house burns a light / In that light rests a bed." As we read, a small child places the key on a hook as a dog, a cat, and some kittens mill about. She walks into the room and spots a book on the bed. "In that book flies a bird." As the text grows expansive, discussing the bird's song, the girl imagines taking a trip on its back above the land, "Through the dark", past the moon, and the sun, and the sky. In the end she goes to bed, not far from the key in, "the house in the night, a home full of light." The shape of the story allows it to go from a small intimate story to an exciting flight around the world, and then back to bed where the little girl curls up cozily and falls asleep. It's a tribute to bedtime stories themselves, without ever being blunt about its potential applications.” – Elizabeth Bird

Connections

This book presents a great segway into exploring the medium of scratch board for art. The class could create their own illustrations and compare them to the ones in the book.

Collect other books with scratchboard illustrations, and share with the class.