USA Writer & Canadian Illustrator
Lemony Snicket (pseud of Daniel Handler) and Jon Klassen
The Dark
Orchard Books 2014 $19.99pb 40pp
ISBN 978 1 4083 3003 6
Themes: Fear of the dark/ Overcoming fears
There are only two players in this story - a small boy
called Laszlo and The Dark. There are no monsters, no creaky doors, no
frightening images but Laszlo is afraid of The Dark that seems to lurk around
even during the day in cupboards, behind the shower curtain and in the
basement. Then one night, Laszlo, resolute in blue pj’s, goes down to the basement.
Here The Dark alerts him to something in a squat, magenta coloured chest and –
after that, although The Dark goes on living with Laszl, he is never frightened
of it again. A brilliant story with equally brilliant illustrations and do
Google both the writer and illustrator for more information.
It will, of course, depend on the reader aloud and
the conversations it generates for its success with the children.
(In my opinion there is one page that is really not
needed (you’ll recognise it when you come to it) where a whole long paragraph
is given up to the reasons why we need the dark. It holds up all the drama of
the story and you may choose to just leave it out.)
It is also a great story for the children who have
never even thought of being afraid of the dark because it is simply a ‘tool’
for dealing with fear – any fear.
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