#429 of 1001 · October 3, 2021

Have you read Elsa and the Night by @jonsmellgren? If not, now’s your chance. What would you do if you discovered a physical incarnation of darkness lurking in your home? Though such a situation might sound frightening, Elsa takes it in stride, shutting the Night up in a tin and hiding it in the boiler room. However, once she realizes that the world is trapped in permanent daylight, she has a change of heart and lets the little blob out again. She tells the creature of her time working in the galley of a boat, of the shipwreck that stranded her on a remote island with only an elephant named Olaf for company, and of her years operating the island’s lighthouse, which left her afflicted with insomnia. The two go for a walk, the Night growing bigger with every step, until it is able to carry Elsa, who, after unburdening herself, can finally rest. Mellgren’s text (originally published in Swedish as “Sigrid och Natten” and translated into English by Anita Shenoi) provides exposition through gentle observations and subtle details, most notably Elsa’s subdued grief for her long-dead elephant friend. The illustrations accompanying this whimsically introspective tale feature graphic art in bold, block colors, warm yellows and oranges contrasting with cool blues and purples against blank white backgrounds. #night #day #dark #light #elephant #island #lighthouse #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks