The Night Parade

Writing with the smooth, propulsive cadence of a nursery rhyme, newcomer Roscoe weaves a story of gentle nighttime magic starring a multiethnic crew of children. “Have you ever wondered what happens at night/ while mothers and fathers lie sleeping?” she asks. “Children wake up. They climb out of their beds,/ some crawling, some running, some leaping.” Walker (Bears in the Bath), working in pastel-colored watercolors outlined in ink, paints a friendly suburban landscape for these young insomniacs to explore, one that never feels anything less than safe and secure—a smiling crescent moon takes the place of a supervising adult, keeping an eye on the children from the night sky above. Despite the slightly illicit suggestion of kids climbing out windows and sneaking out doors while parents are sleeping, everything they get up to is as innocent as can be, from romping barefoot through city streets and baking towers of giant cupcakes to reading books under the watchful eye of a lavender whale. It’s soothing fodder for children’s imaginations at bedtime (even for those who opt to stay tucked into their beds). Up to age 3. [em](Sept.) [/em]