The Moon Inside

PreS-Gr 1—Ella is afraid of the dark. She clutches her mother's hand as dusk falls, and flicks on many lights throughout her house. One evening, while Ella rues the disappearance of the sun and the absence of yellow from the nighttime sky, her mother encourages her to take a peek outside. The child is pleasantly surprised to find glowing fireflies and a golden moon illuminating the darkness: "It's my favorite color—only quieter." As Ella and her mother sit side by side on the front porch swing, they listen to the sounds of the night. Sicuro's striking watercolor and ink illustrations move from domestic daytime scenes, accented with splashes of yellow wallpaper, sunny flowers in a vase, and lemon slices on a plate, to a velvety black background revealing twinkling stars and elegant nocturnal creatures. Having faced her fears, Ella gains a newfound appreciation for the stillness of the dark. Back inside her house, the little girl turns on fewer lights, content in knowing that "the night belong[s] to the moon, quietly glowing through her bedroom window."