Downing, Julie. Night in the City. Julie Downing, Illus. Neal Porter, 03/2023. 40pp. Picture Book. GRADES Preschool-3. $18.99. 978-0-8234-5206-4. OUTSTANDING.
A brown-skinned child’s schedule (asleep at night and awake during the day) is juxtaposed with diverse urban workers on the night shift. Lively, cheerful watercolor and-colored pencil illustrations showcase a nurse, baker, firefighter, manager, film crew, emergency dispatcher, taxi driver, janitor, security guard, and pets. Multiple panel pages are interspersed among full spreads, revealing interlocking stories. Spare text lets the pictures carry the narrative. Color is used to highlight the difference between the night workers and those ending their day, making it easier to follow central characters. It’s hard to resist peeking through a window and Downing gives readers dozens of chances, rewarding us with delightful narrative details that encourage multiple re-readings.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired