I started haunting our local bookstore to read picture books but I always feel guilty using it like a library so I make sure to buy a small stack. When it comes to picture books, I am the pickiest purchaser ever because I am buying for myself! The Dark made my purchase pile. I had heard wonderful reviews about it and I have long admired Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen.
Other Monsters In the Closet Picture Books also delight us:
There’s Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Myer
We love this sweet monster picture book in which a little boy bravely confronts his “nightmare in his closet.” It turns out that his nightmare is a good snuggler! I love the reading by Billy Crystal too! In fact, I always picture him reading it to my kids, even as I read it.
The Monstore by Tara Lazar
Monsters seem like a good strategy to keep out pesky little sisters. Only Zack’s little sister is terrified of something else! I review it here as another Picture Book of the Week. I guess we really do love monster picture books!
And now … my selection for The Picture Book of the Day!
The Dark by Lemony Snicket*, illustrated by Jon Klassen
*Lemony Snicket, a.k.a. Daniel Handler, gave a racist speech about Jacqueline Woodson.
“David Perry, who blogs on language, power, and privilege, called on Handler to apologize for telling a joke about watermelon, an image fraught with racist history, during a moment that marked the height of Woodson’s literary achievement.
“For a powerful white author to make a watermelon joke when handing out an award to a black author, the message is – no matter what you write, no matter what you do, no matter what you accomplish, you will always be a BLACK author, not just an author,” Perry wrote.”
I like monster picture books that feel cozy and this one addresses the biggest fears my kids have. (No, not spiders but they are indeed freaked out by creepy crawlers). The Dark! Lazlo is afraid of the dark but the dark is not afraid of Lazlo. In fact, the dark co-habitates with Lazlo hanging out in corners and the closet but mostly in the basement. And it has a surprise for Lazlo, but it’s a very thoughtful and kind one! [picture book for anyone afraid of the dark from age 1 to 99+]
To examine any book more closely at Amazon, please click on image of book.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Children’s Book Activities on Pinterest.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
I am curious about reading The Dark after reading your review, it didn’t really appeal to me before 🙂 Adding it to my wishlist – thank you!
Hi Catherine,
I just loved the surprise ending and the pacing of the book. My predictions didn’t hold up and I loved the moodiness of the book. It felt like a narrator from an old time-y movie was reading it with a deep resonant voice. The trailer is fun too! Also, my kids LOVED it!
My 5 year old is always begging for a scary story! thanks for the recommendations.
Hi Jackie,
Your 5 year old sounds very brave! I think he or she will love it. It’s a tad scary but with a fun ending!
I liked The Dark when I read it. I was lucky enough to see Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen, along with Neil Gaiman who did the audiobook, when they were promoting this book at Bank Street School and it really made me want to read it. It is a good book for kids who are afraid of the dark. Glad it is your picture book of the day.
Hi Alex,
Love meeting authors at their book signings. What a treat to meet Lemony, Jon AND Neil!! Great lineup! Is that his/her real name? I always thought it was a perfect pen name – Lemony Snicket!
My kids are afraid of the dark so I totally agree with you. We read There’s a Nightmare in My Closet A LOT!! I love that picture book too! Especially read by Billy Crystal! They are afraid of spiders too, LOL, so I need books for that too!
This book does have very interesting pacing – a clever device. I’m really curious to learn how kids respond to it!
Hi Cathy,
My kids loved it! Especially my 8-year-old son who is scared of the dark. I think he could relate to the little boy and he liked how it was a little scary and creepy but with a happy ending. He liked the narrator-ish voice of the book and LOVED the trailer! What a great trailer!!
The Dark sounds like a great book! I may have to get a copy.
Hi MaryAnne,
I am hoping that it will win a Caldecott! It’s that good! Jon Klassen has the golden touch too! And I like that it helps kids who are scared of the dark (like mine!).
I love this book too but won’t read it to my kids who are NOT afraid of the dark (power of suggestion).
Ah Ann! Good point!!! I wonder if a book about being scared of the dark can cause that fear. I think you are right! It probably would!! And it’s not worth testing!!
The Dark was a winner with my kids. I thought it was very a different approach that works. One of the books coincidentally I read to them this evening – again – was There’s Something in the Attic by Mercer Mayer which had them laughing and narrating some of the story to me before I even turned the pages, so I’ll have to read them There’s Nightmare in the Closet too.
Hi Kriss,
You and I should trade books! My kids love There’s a Nightmare in the Closet but we’ve never read There’s Something in the Attic. I bet that is very fun too! I like Mercer Mayer’s sense of humor too!
My kids were petrified of many of sendaks books. The nightmare in my closet was one &my son who is 22 recently told me he was petrified of Pierre which I always loved
Hi Faigie,
I wonder if it was the illustrations? Did you son like Where The Wild Things Are or Chicken Soup with Rice? I remember one of the Sendak books, which won tons of awards, being a little out there — a little strange. (I just looked it up). It was In the Night Kitchen. We just didn’t know what to make of it. I can see how your son would be petrified of it!
I heard good things about this book, but I am with Ann on power of suggestion – I’d rather not give daughter any new ideas 🙂
Hi Natalie,
Good point! I wonder if my kids were always afraid of the dark. I think only two of them were (and continue to be) but I know I read some of those books to all of them. I’ll have to ask PickyKidPix if she is afraid of the dark. She didn’t used to be as a toddler. She is afraid of lightening, thunder, shark attacks and spiders. The shark attacks is the direct result of watching Shark Week on TV so you are so right about the power of suggestion!!
Thanks for sharing this list at After School!
Thanks Anna!