Do you have a child that is scared of the dark- scared of the noises and the emptiness and loneliness that accompany bedtime? I do. Enter a much-loved bedtime book in our home, Orion and the Dark, by Emma Yarlett. Yarlett is quickly becoming a favorite author/illustrator in our home, and this sweet story is at the top of our list.
Orion is a little boy who is scared of many things, the dark ranking high at the top of his list. But then one night, the Dark climbs through the window into Orion’s room and introduces himself to the child. Orion, as all polite kids do, extends his hand, and what follows is a fantastic story about the twosome’s journey to explore every nook and cranny of the dark things that frighten Orion at bedtime.
Darkness personified- it’s a brilliant concept. In Orion and the Dark, Yarlett takes darkness, something many kids are terrified of, and gives him a cuddly frame, a timid but warm smile, and a gentle hand to hold. She shows our little ones that the dark can wrap you up and squeeze you in the most perfect hug, and that the unknown and scary expanse of the night isn’t so frightening after all once you explore it with a friend. Yarlett’s illustration style is quirky and whimsical and fun, and the book brims with fabulous details that little readers love to explore- especially the details that explain away the scary noises one might hear when trying to fall asleep. And her fold outs– let’s just say they are superb and such a fantastic surprise. This is truly a phenomenal book to explore with any child who gets nervous at bedtime. The smile on Pickle’s face when we read it together says it all. To simply say this book is “special” doesn’t do it justice; it leads the pack when it comes to stories for kids afraid of the dark.
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Want the book? Get it here! Orion and the Dark, by Emma Yarlett. *This is an affiliate link.
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