The House in the Night

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, pictures by Beth Krommes
2009 Caldecott Medal winner

A lovely picture book with black and white etchings that are simple yet detailed. Each page has gold highlights but no other colors. The illustrations are very pleasing. The text is simple in a "house that Jack built" kind of way. But unlike One Fine Day which also has that familiar pattern, this book has that emotional resonance and poetry that I look for, and the illustrations definitely support that deepening of the simple text in an important way.

My daughter Makayla (age 6) liked the pictures when she "read" it herself (with out reading) and liked hearing me read it as well.

I'm not sure if this is a book that will stay in my mind and insist people read (time will tell!). But I definitely enjoyed it.