When the Stars Come Out

Nighttime has long been mysterious to people. Many cultures have tales of nighttime ghouls and monsters, myths that tell of gods and goddesses of the night, and of the moon. Children, naturally, have many questions about night: Why does it get dark? What happens in the nighttime? What do animals do at night? Why does the moon wax and wane? The questions go on and on. This beautifully oversized book (12.7 by 10.5 inches) will help to answer the myriad of questions that children have. Author Nicola Edwards has written a text that will satisfy youngsters from third grade up to middle school with plenty of well-researched information that looks at history, science, myths, legends, constellations, different biospheres, nocturnal animals, and more. Illustrator Lucy Cartwright has filled the pages with stylized drawings that support the text with lots of details, maps and graphs. The illustrations will have young readers more engaged with this rather text-heavy book than they otherwise would be. This is a unique and wonderful addition to the picture book canon for middle-grade readers that will draw them in and give them lots of educational information without ever letting them know they are learning.