Night Song
Night Song
This title is also available from Bookshop, a great initiative that supports local, independent bookstores.
Written by Mk Smith Despres
Illustrated by Hyewon Yum
A sad sack frog, who bemoans his inability to sing like a bird, discovers the vital role he's meant to play in his woodland home in this debut picture book from Mk Smith Despres, gorgeously illustrated by award-winning artist Hyewon Yum.
Every morning as the sun rises, Bernardo the frog loves greeting the day by listening to the beautiful birdsong that fills the woods with joy. Inspired, Bernardo attempts to sing, too... but his croaking voice doesn't quite have the same effect. No matter what he does, Bernardo feels graceless and like he just doesn't add up. Dejected and down in the dumps, Bernardo sees no place for himself, until a woodland neighbor praises the hushed sounds that dusk brings, thus awakening Bernardo to his place in the woods' great symphony.
ISBN: 978-1-59270-394-4
8.25” (W) x 10.5” (H) • 52 Pages • HC
REVIEWS
A Children's Book Council January 2023 Hot Off the Press selection!
“Hyewon Yum’s illustrations bring vibrancy to Night Song, a picture book for children ages 4-8 written with gentle humor by Mk Smith Despres… With its inventive text and appealing pictures, this is a special book.“ —Wall Street Journal
"Using a mix of watercolor, colored pencil, and ink, Yum illustrates Despres’ lilting, sonorous text with idyllic scenes of songbirds and waterfowl, butterflies and dragonflies, amid verdant tufts of greenery and sprays of flowers. As the day passes and the tonal palette dims subtly from bright day to a cool blue star-flecked night, one last view leaves the small frog with eyes closed in blissful appreciation. Poetic and peaceful: a natural for bedtime reading." —Kirkus
"In this lyrically told be-yourself story, a frog named Bernardo longs to join the birds whose dawn song inspires the sun... The frog’s perspective doesn’t shift until a small friend reminds Bernardo of the role he plays in another musical drama: the dusk song that puts the woods to sleep. Assured lines by debut creator Smith Despres convey the wonder of change brought by the day’s rhythms, while limpid colored pencil, watercolor, and ink spreads by Yum deliver giggles and render subtly changing light and color in this hymn to contemplating one’s place in the world." —Publishers Weekly
"Debut author Despres's lyrical text captures the tenor and distinct rhythm of morning and night. Yum’s atmospheric colored pencil, watercolor, and ink cartoon illustrations provide stunning views of the sunrise and sunset. This is a harmonious picture book about embracing your own voice." —Booklist
★ “This is a lovely, quiet fable about community. The text is full of observations of the habitat of a woodland pond, and the gorgeous artwork creates a peaceful setting, with its artful employment of watercolor, colored pencils and ink. This calm, beautiful, nature-centered book is sure to please readers who enjoy the imagined inner life of animals. For ages 4-8, when a quiet book about fitting in is what’s needed. All collections that serve young children should buy this book.” —Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library (Arlington, MA), Youth Services Book Review, STARRED REVIEW
"Colored pencils are layered over watercolors in intricate illustrations that evoke the chill of misty mornings, the golden light of afternoons, and the gentle hush of twilight in this picture book about self-acceptance and belonging." —Foreword Reviews