The Dark (Lemony Snicket)

I got this book out if the library because the illustrator is Jon Klassen, the author and illustrator of I Want My Hat Back.  I loved that book!

When I took this book out of the library the librarian saw it and flipped through it. We talked about how crazy Lemony Snicket is, and then the librarian said, "Do you mind if I just quickly read it?" I had time, so she perused it quickly. There were a number of times she raised her eyebrows. At the end she closed it and said, "That's weird." From her description, I kind of agreed.

Then I read it in my classroom. My students had a totally different take on it. They loved it! They said, "Yes, that is what The Dark feels like!" They agreed that The Dark is real. They loved the illustrations and felt like the author totally nailed it.

That is why I love reading with kids. They get things adults just never get on their own :)

If you're afraid of the dark, you should read this book.

And if you've been afraid of the dark in the past, you should read this book.

March 2023: I love the teaching of opposites in this. Without a creaky roof, the rain would fall on your bed, and without a smooth, cold window, you could never see outside, and without a set of stairs, you could never go in the basement, where the dark spends its time. Without a closet, you would have nowhere to put your shoes, and without a shower curtain, you would splash water all over the bathroom, and without the dark, everything would be light, and you would never know if you needed a lightbulb. (Words of the Wiser)