Moon bear

A curly headed child surrounded by toys is summoned by a caregiver: "Time for bed, Ettie" writes Welsh (Everything Changes) in one of this largely wordless picture book's two lines. In a dark bedroom, Ettie stares apprehensively out at the darkness; a clutched flashlight offers comfort, but it's not enough. When a shower of intense sparkling white light streams in through the window, Ettie dances in and with it, then traces the constellation of a bear in the sky onto the windowpane. In a dramatic moment, the light brightens further, and a glowing white bear cub tumbles into the room. Long, luxuriously developed panels and spreads dwell on child and cub at play. Illustrator Godina concentrates on the light that emanates from the animal, the sparkling footprints it leaves behind, and its interest in sources of light including a lamp, an electric alarm clock, and the flashlight. When morning reveals the cub to have gone, a comic sequence follows as Ettie hurries through the day in order to facilitate a reunion. It's a visually absorbing wish fulfillment tale in which Ettie gets all the light they need and more. Characters are portrayed with pale skin. Ages 4--7. (June)

A special friend helps a child overcome fear. Afraid of the dark, Ettie keeps a flashlight under the covers at bedtime. But tonight brings a surprise. A cascade of sparkling light motes enter the room through the partially opened curtains. Ettie "paints" on the wall with the dazzling light, then dances with it, producing wondrous arcs around the room. Opening the curtains completely, Ettie smiles at the moon, then plays connect the dots with the glowing stars, creating a bear who enters the room in an illuminated burst. The pair play all night. By morning, the bear's disappeared; Ettie can't explain its presence to Mommy--though sparkles remain on the pillow. But Ettie has a different, more potent reminder of the bear's presence: a newfound confidence when it comes to the dark. That evening, the child hurriedly eats dinner, reminds Mommy when it's bedtime, speeds through the nightly bedtime routine, and even nudges Mommy out the door. A bear's coming! Grown-ups, take heed. This very charming, nearly wordless fantasy reassures kids that fears of the dark can be conquered with some imagination and a smidgen of light. The gouache and colored pencil illustrations are cheerily de-light-ful, presented in lively panels of different sizes, comics-style. Ettie and Mommy are light-skinned. This is one bear all kids will want to cuddle up with when it's time for lights out. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.