Kitty Crowther

Celebrated Belgian children's author and illustrator Kitty Crowther, who received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2010, here presents three of her idiosyncratic but charming fairy-tales, all tied together through the storytelling of Mother Bear, who is attempting to get Little Bear to bed. In the first tale, the Night Guardian convinces all of the forest creatures to go to bed, before performing the ritual that allows her to fall asleep as well. In the second, a tiny elfin girl named show more Zhorra wanders through the wood with her sword and her blackberry, before being taken in for the night by her friend Jacko Mollo the bat. In the third and final tale, a little man named Bo, living in an owl's nest, has trouble getting to sleep until he visits the shore and, in the company of his friend Otto the otter, takes a soothing dip in the ocean...

I was surprised to see on the colophon of Stories of the Night that this delightful little tome was first published in Swedish, as Sagor om Natten. I know that Crowther is Belgian, and the only other title I have read from her, Scritch Scratch Scraww Plop, was originally published in French. Perhaps she is a polyglot? Whatever the case may be, I am glad I happened across this one at the library, as I found it delightful. Mother and Little Bear put me in mind of the similarly named Mother and Little Bear from the classic American early readers, written by Else Holmelund Minarik and illustrated by the immortal Maurice Sendak. The inset stories themselves were quirky and appealing, with a weird sense of charm, while the artwork, in which a bright pink shade predominates, was unexpectedly appealing. There's nothing natural about this color palette, and one might expect it to feel unfitting, in a depiction of the forest, but somehow the whole thing just works. show less

Every evening, as bedtime approached, Jeremy the frog was afraid. Although his father always read him a story, and his mother tucked him in and gave him a kiss, he knew that eventually he would be alone in the dark, alone with the inevitable sounds - Scritch Scratch Scraww Plop! - that seemed to haunt his nights. Fleeing his frightening solitude for the safety of his parents' bed one night, Jeremy is twice returned to his own room by his father. When his third effort finds him taken in by show more his mother, his father decides to sleep in Jeremy's room himself, only to discover that he too is disturbed by the many sounds. Together father and son set out to investigate what is creating this Scritch Scratch Scraww Plop...

Originally published in French as Scritch Scratch dip capote!, this charming Belgian children's book from Kitty Crowther, winner of the 2010 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, takes the classic childhood theme of bedtime terrors, and goes in a slightly different direction. The frightening sounds that Jeremy hears turn out to be real, rather than imagined, and they seem to discompose his father as well. But their source - the creatures who live in the river on whose banks the frogs' house is built - proves to be less fearsome than first supposed. In fact, with knowledge comes appreciation, and Jeremy concludes that he is no longer afraid of the dark. This is the first of Crowther's titles that I have been able to obtain, and I am glad to have read it. A solidly engaging bedtime tale, one featuring appealing illustrations that merge natural and anthropomorphic elements - the frogs live in a house, but it is water-logged, with river-water running along the floors - and a sweet story of a boy, his fears and his family, Scritch Scratch Scraww Plop! is a book I would recommend to those looking for stories about overcoming nighttime fears. show less

I had mixed feelings about this book after reading. I liked this book because it pushes readers to think about tough issues and broadens perspectives. The book is all about acceptance, but readers don't notice because it is a simple story about two birds becoming learning about each others differences. Readers don't notice the overall meaning of the book until they really analyze the true meaning of friendship behind it. During the book, the two birds become friends and learn to accept each show more other and their different lives. I do not like this book because of the illustrations. For example, the illustrations are dull and not vivid. The illustrator used pastel and light colors which may pull the attention away from the book. The big message of this book is to accept others no matter what they look like or how different their lives are from each other. show less

A little frog is deathly afraid of going to sleep at night from a scary noise. He wakes his parents and tells them about the scary noise. After a couple of night, the dad frog caved in to let him sleep in the bed with them. Well the little frog was a wiggle worm so the dad decided to sleep in the little frogs bed. Then SCRITCH SCRATCH SCRAWW PLOP! he hears the scary noise. He takes the little frog to find this scary noise.