Review: Nyctophobia (fear of the night or darkness) and how to conquer it.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 23, 2013
Mira Drori has inaugurated a new series of books she calls the Adventures of Robin and Sunbeam and if the subsequent books are a fine as this one, start collecting! Not only are Mira Drori's stories entertaining and well written, but they are also accompanied by excellent illustrations by Anahit Aleksanyan - brightly colored and real enough so that children can easily relate to them.Robin is a happy child who loves kindergarten and playing soccer, but he doesn't like to go to bed at night - he is afraid of the dark. He coaxes his mother with requests until he finally gets to sleep in the safety of his parent's bed. But his wise mother finds a way to break this frustrating fear of Robin's and introduces a bedtime story book called `I Am Afraid of the Dark' - promising to read it to Robin if he promises to sleep in his own bed.  The special book, when opened, emits a sunbeam that jumps off the page and takes Robin on a trip to Africa where Robin sees monkeys, hippos, and lions  - and then a sad little elephant, crying because he is afraid of the dark. But Robin and the sunbeam awaken him with light, just like the sunbeams touch Robin everyday to awaken him with the light from the sun, and the little elephant is overjoyed. From then on Robin sleeps peacefully, unafraid of the dark, dreaming of his newfound friend, the Sunbeam, and wondering where their next adventure will take him.This book is a fine mixture of reassurance about fears of the dark (fears many children must conquer), warm family relations, magical adventures, animals, travels to foreign lands, all in a well illustrated and well written book. Keep your eyes open for the next one! Mira Drori has a winner on her hands! Grady Harp, September 13