A South African Night
PreSchool-Grade 3?This simply written picture book focuses on the transition from day to night, contrasting the activities of humans in Johannesburg with those of the animals in Kruger National Park after the sun sets. First, readers see twilight in the city as stores close and people return home. Children and their parents take a stroll before dark. House lights come on as a little girl sleeps with a doll tucked close beside her. As day slides into night, the inhabitants of Kruger Park come to life. A mamba snake, lionesses, a leopard, a hippopotamus, and elephants are shown in their respective quests for food and water. With the sunrise, the animals seek shade to sleep, while in the city, flower vendors line up their goods on the streets. Isadora's vibrant watercolor illustrations are evocative of both the human bustle and the wild untamed life force of the animals; the open vistas of the park are effectively contrasted with the crowded streets. This excellent read-aloud will also serve well as a lucid concept book.?Gebregeorgis Yohannes, San Francisco Public Library, CACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.