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At Night
On some nights, a snug bedroom is a hard place to fall asleep. On some nights, it's better to get away from slumbering, snoring family members and curl up alone with one's thoughts in the cool night air, under wide-open skies. In this charming bedtime fantasy, a sleepless city girl does just that, finding her surprising way to a serene rooftop version of a backyard campout.
With captivating ink-and-watercolor illustrations and a simple, lyrical text, newcomer Jonathan Bean has created a soothing bedtime story that is sure to charm children and parents alike.
At Night is the winner of the 2008 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Picture Books.
With captivating ink-and-watercolor illustrations and a simple, lyrical text, newcomer Jonathan Bean has created a soothing bedtime story that is sure to charm children and parents alike.
At Night is the winner of the 2008 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Picture Books.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 24, 2007
1 person is currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Bean
23 books46 followersJonathan Bean is an award-winning artist who has illustrated many books for kids, including the critically acclaimed Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood. He is a two-time winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for his books At Night and Building Our House.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
November 9, 2018
Now the accompanying illustrations are both enjoyable and sweetly, delightfully detailed (with a lovely and evocative of nighttime colour scheme that I have found both aesthetically pleasing, even emotionally relaxing), and I also can definitely personally relate to the little girl not being able to bed down, to nod off and finally in desperation taking her pillows and blankets up to the flat rooftop patio of her house to try to fall asleep in the cool breezes of a city night. However and that all being said, to and for me, Jonathan Bean's At Night is yet again another picture book where the author's presented, featured narrative does not really go far enough, does not give me sufficiently necessary and desired verbal, textual details (as I guess I was kind of expecting and wanting a bit more information on what happens after the little girl finally is able to fall into slumber on the roof, perhaps with regard to the sounds and sights of the city at night or even what her dreams might be, for I definitely do find it a little disappointing that MOST of both Jonathan Bean's narrative and his accompanying pictures show and describe the little girl not being able to sufficiently snooze and her ascent onto the roof, but once she does finally fall asleep there, that is it, it seems, leaving me wanting and desiring a bit more narrational details with regard to how the little girl is slumbering, what she is or might be experiencing whilst asleep on the roof, although I do indeed much appreciate that her mother obviously notices that he daughter cannot sleep and ends up joining her, watching over her as the little girl finally is able to nod off).
October 14, 2008
Picture book
Winner of 2008 Boston Globe Horn Book Award
For preschool & up
A young girl can't fall asleep one night, and a breeze lures her onto the city rooftop.
A city night has rarely seemed so gentle as comforting as in this story, and it's enough to make you wish for your own rooftop to escape to on a sleepless night. The text is simple and rhythmic, perfectly complementing the soft but focused illustrations. Although the words and pictures tell the girl's story, there's another story happening only in the pictures. As the girl makes trips up the stairs with her pillows, then a sheet, and finally her blanket, we see the view from her parents' bedroom, where her mother wakes up and follows her up the stairs. This safe, quiet presence lends an extra sense of calm to this bedtime story, especially as the last page leaves us with the girl, asleep at last on the roof overlooking the city, with the full moon shining down on the now wide-awake mother. The book's small format adds to this sense of coziness, but there's also a sense of expansiveness and space with occasional bird's eye views and cityscapes. Another delight is that it doesn't use the standard bedtime plot of a child who doesn't want to go to bed; this is a child who can't sleep, and who resourcefully solves her problem with the help of a small breeze. This would work well for a family story or an evening story time with a small group, due to the size of the illustrations.
The School Library Journal uses most of the review space to summarize the action, spending only a few words assessing the illustrations and none on the text. Kirkus has an evocative review that summarizes the plot while still giving ample attention to illustrations and text, although it focuses on a few details that felt irrelevant, such as hair color.
Winner of 2008 Boston Globe Horn Book Award
For preschool & up
A young girl can't fall asleep one night, and a breeze lures her onto the city rooftop.
A city night has rarely seemed so gentle as comforting as in this story, and it's enough to make you wish for your own rooftop to escape to on a sleepless night. The text is simple and rhythmic, perfectly complementing the soft but focused illustrations. Although the words and pictures tell the girl's story, there's another story happening only in the pictures. As the girl makes trips up the stairs with her pillows, then a sheet, and finally her blanket, we see the view from her parents' bedroom, where her mother wakes up and follows her up the stairs. This safe, quiet presence lends an extra sense of calm to this bedtime story, especially as the last page leaves us with the girl, asleep at last on the roof overlooking the city, with the full moon shining down on the now wide-awake mother. The book's small format adds to this sense of coziness, but there's also a sense of expansiveness and space with occasional bird's eye views and cityscapes. Another delight is that it doesn't use the standard bedtime plot of a child who doesn't want to go to bed; this is a child who can't sleep, and who resourcefully solves her problem with the help of a small breeze. This would work well for a family story or an evening story time with a small group, due to the size of the illustrations.
The School Library Journal uses most of the review space to summarize the action, spending only a few words assessing the illustrations and none on the text. Kirkus has an evocative review that summarizes the plot while still giving ample attention to illustrations and text, although it focuses on a few details that felt irrelevant, such as hair color.
July 12, 2018
I liked this, but, it is looking a bit dated. It is about a girl who goes up on the rooftop to sleep because she cannot fall asleep in her room. Pretty illustrations though. My daughter would relate, she can never fall asleep.
Just doesn't really stand out in any particular way to me. Nice flow to the text though and simple enough for bedtime reading to a little one.
Just doesn't really stand out in any particular way to me. Nice flow to the text though and simple enough for bedtime reading to a little one.
November 9, 2018
Late one night a young girl lies awake in her bed in a city apartment. Listening to the soft breathing of her parents and siblings, she cannot get to sleep herself. Then, feeling a cool breeze from the window, she takes her pillow and blanket up to the roof and finally slips off to sleep under the night sky.
This debut title from picture-book author/artist Jonathan Bean, whose subsequent autobiographical stories - Building Our House , This Is My Home, This Is My School - were so engaging, offers a sweet reassurance tale to youngsters who may themselves have trouble sleeping from time to time. The text here is spare but effective, and the artwork lovely. I liked that the little girl's mother is aware of her daughter's trip to the roof, and is watchful and alert, allowing her little girl to have her independence, but also ready to protect her if needed - and that all of this is communicated through the artwork alone. Recommended to anyone looking for new bedtime books, or for reassurance stories that depict children solving their own problems, while parents stand ready to offer aid if needed.
This debut title from picture-book author/artist Jonathan Bean, whose subsequent autobiographical stories - Building Our House , This Is My Home, This Is My School - were so engaging, offers a sweet reassurance tale to youngsters who may themselves have trouble sleeping from time to time. The text here is spare but effective, and the artwork lovely. I liked that the little girl's mother is aware of her daughter's trip to the roof, and is watchful and alert, allowing her little girl to have her independence, but also ready to protect her if needed - and that all of this is communicated through the artwork alone. Recommended to anyone looking for new bedtime books, or for reassurance stories that depict children solving their own problems, while parents stand ready to offer aid if needed.
June 11, 2018
What a sweet story. This is just the perfect amount of sparse writing and illustrations to give you such a sense of the peace that comes when one follows when nature calls to your soul.
May 5, 2019
There was something about this book that just worked for me. The illustrations are fantastic, but it went beyond that. I just really liked this book.
April 12, 2018
An adorable book perfect for the hot summer nights that are soon coming (at least here).
It is a hot summery night and our little girl cannot sleep. Everyone else in her home is fast asleep but she is melting out of her bed. She concocts a brilliant idea, something I wish I could have done when I was her age, but alas most houses here don't have a rooftop like hers (or are accessible like hers). Otherwise I would have definitely camped out a few times. :P
I loved how the girl first waited until her parents and siblings slept, and then went to follow the cool breeze. How she kept getting more and more stuff for her "bed" up there. From blankets to pillows. Everything went with her to her makeshift bed. Oh, and the cat also had to come with the girl. Kitty also wants some coolness.
Of course mom notices (moms have that uncanny sense of waking up when kids are up to something), and at first I was worried that she may make the girl clean up again, but no, she doesn't. What she does is totally sweet and I loved it. I am guessing that in the morning the girl will get a bit of a talk about doing this, but I am sure that mom isn't angry (just potentially worried because there isn't a fence around the roof).
The art is quite pretty and nicely done. I especially loved seeing the view of the city when the girl got to the rooftop.
All in all, a cute picture book that will be very relatable and great for those summer nights when it is too warm to sleep.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It is a hot summery night and our little girl cannot sleep. Everyone else in her home is fast asleep but she is melting out of her bed. She concocts a brilliant idea, something I wish I could have done when I was her age, but alas most houses here don't have a rooftop like hers (or are accessible like hers). Otherwise I would have definitely camped out a few times. :P
I loved how the girl first waited until her parents and siblings slept, and then went to follow the cool breeze. How she kept getting more and more stuff for her "bed" up there. From blankets to pillows. Everything went with her to her makeshift bed. Oh, and the cat also had to come with the girl. Kitty also wants some coolness.
Of course mom notices (moms have that uncanny sense of waking up when kids are up to something), and at first I was worried that she may make the girl clean up again, but no, she doesn't. What she does is totally sweet and I loved it. I am guessing that in the morning the girl will get a bit of a talk about doing this, but I am sure that mom isn't angry (just potentially worried because there isn't a fence around the roof).
The art is quite pretty and nicely done. I especially loved seeing the view of the city when the girl got to the rooftop.
All in all, a cute picture book that will be very relatable and great for those summer nights when it is too warm to sleep.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
March 12, 2012
At Night by Jonathan Bean is the 2008 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner picture book. This picture book is intended for the nursery and primary ages. It is about a little girl who couldn’t sleep at night, so she decided to sleep on the roof of her city house. There, on the roof, she was able to think and see the world and finally go to sleep. What isn’t said in the story but is shown in the illustrations is that her mother wakes up and follows her upstairs to the roof. This adds to the calmness of the bedtime story.
I did not really like the book because I didn’t think it had much to it or any important lessons for children to learn. At Night is not a book that I would choose to read to my own class. I believe that this story is intended as a bedtime story, not as a classroom book.
Although the story did not capture my interest, I could definitely see it capturing children’s eyes because of the beautiful watercolor illustrations. This book would be appealing to children if they were just looking at the illustrations or if it was to be read before nap time. It’s a cute story about the little girl, but there isn’t any rhyming or anything to really grab the attention of the children. The only time I would read this story to a classroom of children is before nap time.
I did not really like the book because I didn’t think it had much to it or any important lessons for children to learn. At Night is not a book that I would choose to read to my own class. I believe that this story is intended as a bedtime story, not as a classroom book.
Although the story did not capture my interest, I could definitely see it capturing children’s eyes because of the beautiful watercolor illustrations. This book would be appealing to children if they were just looking at the illustrations or if it was to be read before nap time. It’s a cute story about the little girl, but there isn’t any rhyming or anything to really grab the attention of the children. The only time I would read this story to a classroom of children is before nap time.
October 18, 2008
A brief story for younger kids...not much plot--or even text--here: basically, a little girl can't fall asleep in her room, and ends up following a breeze up to her roof where she finally falls asleep under the stars...the real charm of this book lies in its illustrations and more importantly, the nostalgia of childhood, with its simplicity and safety, that most of us have (far-too-deeply) buried inside us.
January 15, 2016
One night, after everyone in her house is asleep, a young girl just can't get to sleep. Then, she feels a breeze in her room, takes her pillow and blanket and heads to the roof of her building, where she makes a cozy place to sleep in one of the chairs there. Not to worry, her mom isn't asleep either and shadows her daughter the whole way.
September 21, 2018
With a short narrative, few words on each page, a small square format, and soothing, muted colors, this is a great book to read at bedtime with young children. The story is simple, but still conveys a sense of adventure, with a young girl's nighttime trip to the roof to sleep.
I would be a bit cautious reading this book with my little monkey when she was young, in fear that she might want to get up on the roof, too. (She did it anyway.) But the family in the book obviously uses this roof as open air living space and at least there are railings around the edge. I still would likely have cautioned a young child not to do something like this without mom or dad to supervise, just as the mom did in this book, unnoticed by the young girl.
This book was selected as one of the books for the September 2018 - Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Picture Book Winners 2000-2009 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
I would be a bit cautious reading this book with my little monkey when she was young, in fear that she might want to get up on the roof, too. (She did it anyway.) But the family in the book obviously uses this roof as open air living space and at least there are railings around the edge. I still would likely have cautioned a young child not to do something like this without mom or dad to supervise, just as the mom did in this book, unnoticed by the young girl.
This book was selected as one of the books for the September 2018 - Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Picture Book Winners 2000-2009 discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
October 22, 2018
A young girl has trouble falling asleep...until she climbs up on the roof with her pillow and blanket and fell asleep on the rooftop of her house in the middle of the city.
October 12, 2018
for cb pbc sept 2018
I wouldn't bother looking past Rolla, but one reviewer's praise made me think of Jan Ormerod's Sunshine (not a match, but an appeal akin) and so I'd like to see this.
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Glad I did. Lovely little book. Small enough to carry upstairs to the roof along with nest-building bedding. Short enough to learn by heart. Art is just right: not too fancy, not too simple, not too bright, not too dark.... I want a rooftop 'patio' for warm summer nights myself, now!
And yes, though they have no direct similarities, fans of this would probably like Sunshine, too.
I wouldn't bother looking past Rolla, but one reviewer's praise made me think of Jan Ormerod's Sunshine (not a match, but an appeal akin) and so I'd like to see this.
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Glad I did. Lovely little book. Small enough to carry upstairs to the roof along with nest-building bedding. Short enough to learn by heart. Art is just right: not too fancy, not too simple, not too bright, not too dark.... I want a rooftop 'patio' for warm summer nights myself, now!
And yes, though they have no direct similarities, fans of this would probably like Sunshine, too.
September 6, 2018
This was such as sweet, simple story of one young girl's insomnia. I'm guessing that she was too hot to sleep, so when the breeze came through her window, of course she wanted to follow it to someplace cooler--the roof. While lugging all her bedding upstairs, she unwittingly wakes her mother, who quietly follows her, but instead of telling her to get back to her room, allows her to sleep in the lounge chair on the roof. And the little girl is finally able to quiet her mind by thinking of the big wide world. The lovely watercolors are detailed and as sweet as the story itself.
December 19, 2014
Read it to myself last thing last night and loved it, especially the "Awake" page. The square format, the small panels, and rich colors create the perfectly matched coziness. Bundling covers up stairs to create a rooftop bed adds an almost dream-like experience that reaches the soothing peak of drowsiness with nighttime city lights, moonlit glo, and the surrounding countryside. Visual poetry.
November 26, 2015
A gently, calm little story.
February 9, 2017
The illustrations help lead the story. However the story itself is lacking.
December 2, 2018
It's night time. Mom and dad said goodnight. The lights are out. Everyone is asleep. I am awake and can't sleep. What will help me go to sleep?
I really liked reading At Night. I was exactly like this little girl when I was young. My brain would be wide awake and running wild like hers. It cracked me up that she took all of her bedding to her rooftop to sleep and her parents didn't care. I also really enjoyed the illustrations. The colors were all very comforting and the pictures told more than the words did. At one point it talks about how she is walking across her room and is wanting to leave. The picture shows her peeping out the door to see that the coast is clear. The picture didn't state that she was peeping out the door. The pictures enhanced the story and gave more to the story without having to say certain things. Last, I really liked that her mother got up and joined her. In the story it looks like she has tea or coffee and is sitting outside, by her daughter, admiring the world as her daughter did. It shows how they are alike and it is a very sweet picture.
This book would be could for a science class. The little girl loves being outside because it's relaxing and beautiful. The class can discuss recycling, picking up trash and taking care of the earth. I can teach the kids that without taking part in caring for the earth it won't be as beautiful and it can't be admired as much. I could then put recycling boxes in my room or take them around the school to pick up trash.
I really liked reading At Night. I was exactly like this little girl when I was young. My brain would be wide awake and running wild like hers. It cracked me up that she took all of her bedding to her rooftop to sleep and her parents didn't care. I also really enjoyed the illustrations. The colors were all very comforting and the pictures told more than the words did. At one point it talks about how she is walking across her room and is wanting to leave. The picture shows her peeping out the door to see that the coast is clear. The picture didn't state that she was peeping out the door. The pictures enhanced the story and gave more to the story without having to say certain things. Last, I really liked that her mother got up and joined her. In the story it looks like she has tea or coffee and is sitting outside, by her daughter, admiring the world as her daughter did. It shows how they are alike and it is a very sweet picture.
This book would be could for a science class. The little girl loves being outside because it's relaxing and beautiful. The class can discuss recycling, picking up trash and taking care of the earth. I can teach the kids that without taking part in caring for the earth it won't be as beautiful and it can't be admired as much. I could then put recycling boxes in my room or take them around the school to pick up trash.
October 11, 2018
Summary - The little girl was having a hard time falling asleep. She feels a breeze through her window and decides to go outside on their balcony where she is able to look up at the stars and it helps her fall asleep.
Response - I fund this book to be relatable to students and teachers. Life can consume us and seem difficult but we all need to do is go outside, get a breath of fresh air, and take a deep breath. Relaxation is the key to having a good night's sleep.
Classroom - I'm not sure how I would use this in the classroom.
Maybe before an exam or state testing to just calm the students and let them know how important a good nights rest is.
Response - I fund this book to be relatable to students and teachers. Life can consume us and seem difficult but we all need to do is go outside, get a breath of fresh air, and take a deep breath. Relaxation is the key to having a good night's sleep.
Classroom - I'm not sure how I would use this in the classroom.
Maybe before an exam or state testing to just calm the students and let them know how important a good nights rest is.
February 26, 2024
> gentle and dreamy bedtime book
> a restless girl finds a better place to sleep
> clean language
> stirring illustrations
Type: picture book
Ages: 2-6
I didn't know what to expect when we picked this up, but it definitely captured my heart...very possibly the winning factor was that the sweet mother saw what her daughter was doing without making herself known. Just a silent protector full of love.
The only thing that might be an issue for some parents is the child getting out of bed without permission. Other than that, it's a safe and lovely choice!
> a restless girl finds a better place to sleep
> clean language
> stirring illustrations
Type: picture book
Ages: 2-6
I didn't know what to expect when we picked this up, but it definitely captured my heart...very possibly the winning factor was that the sweet mother saw what her daughter was doing without making herself known. Just a silent protector full of love.
The only thing that might be an issue for some parents is the child getting out of bed without permission. Other than that, it's a safe and lovely choice!
February 10, 2018
At Night is a story of a young girl who cannot fall asleep in her home in the city. She goes up to the roof of her building, feels the breeze, and can finally sleep. In the illustrations, it is seen that her mother follows her up to the roof. The calming colors in the illustrations allow for the reader to feel relaxed.
This book would make for a good book to maybe read before a nap time or when you want the children to be calm. It would be a good book to read to grad K-2.
This book would make for a good book to maybe read before a nap time or when you want the children to be calm. It would be a good book to read to grad K-2.
May 10, 2018
Beautifully illustrated. This book has a very peaceful feel. It follows the journey of a young girl through a sleepless night as she follows the breeze from her room to the roof of her apartment building, and rests and takes in the view. This would be a great book to use to teach children the concept of mindfulness. I also likes that the author included the mother in parts so we didn't have to worry about the girl's safety.
February 4, 2018
This is a good connection for any young child that loves sleeping under the night's sky, and also lives within a big city. My city doesn't have any such rooftop places, so a young child from my city, might have a hard time connecting to the images...but that is a conversation and stretch of experience within itself.
July 5, 2019
This book was super atmospheric for me. I personally love cracking a window during summer time and getting a lovely night time breeze, so I thought it was cute that this little girl who couldn't sleep finally was able to drift off when she went to the roof of their apartment complex. Very simple book, light on text, with a classic feel.
June 30, 2017
I read this short book about bedtime to my children before they all fell asleep. The cadence and picture-to-word ratio was perfect for the situation. I enjoy Jonathan Bean's illustrations and this book was just as delightful as the others. Well-suited for the story.
August 9, 2020
This book warms my mom-heart. There is a magical feeling for the little girl and an all-too-familiar feeling of watchfulness and love from the mom. I love how she quiety sits next to the sleeping child in the night air.
-Mom
(Charlotte age 6 and Eric age 4)
-Mom
(Charlotte age 6 and Eric age 4)
August 4, 2022
My children and I all adored this cute, short read about a girl who is awake after everyone else is asleep in her house. I love the sweetness of the family and the fact that there isn't a lesson being taught. It's just life.
September 6, 2022
Sometimes, you simply cannot sleep.
This book tells of one little girl who couldn't sleep, followed a breeze, and made a cozy and snug bed to watch the moon. It was also a subtle reminder that mamas are always there and always watching their little ones.
This book tells of one little girl who couldn't sleep, followed a breeze, and made a cozy and snug bed to watch the moon. It was also a subtle reminder that mamas are always there and always watching their little ones.
July 19, 2017
simple text and lovely pictures.
July 29, 2017
Cute, quick story about the night from a little girl's perspective. My kids love another of Bean's books, BUILDING OUR HOUSE, so we thought we'd try this one, too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews