After Dark - by David L Harrison (Hardcover)

About the Book

"After dark, when we are thinking about going to sleep, many amazing animals are just waking up. What do they do in the dark of the night? *Bats fly out of caves, zigzagging into the sky. * Wolf pups wrestle, growl, and romp. *Tarantulas emerge from their lairs--leg by leg by leg. *Fireflies flit through lawns, their flashes lighting up the dark. With this engaging collection of twenty-one poems, learn about the hidden lives of these nocturnal animals (and many more.) You'll be surprised to find out what happens when we're asleep and animals have the quiet night to themselves."--Jacket flap

Book Synopsis

This collection of twenty-two poems explores the fascinating lives of North American nocturnal animals.

When the sun goes down, many animals come out. Crickets chirp their crickety song hoping to attract a mate. Cougars bury their leftovers for later, leaving few clues for others to follow. Armadillos emerge from their dens to dig for worms, leaving holes in the lawns they disturb. This collection of poetry from acclaimed children's author and poet David L. Harrison explores the lives of animals who are awake after dark. Stephanie Laberis's beautifully atmospheric illustrations will draw in readers, and extensive back matter offers more information about each animal.

Review Quotes

"Who's out at night, and what do they do? These poems answer that for you...Twenty-one animals who live by the light of the moon get profiled in Harrison's poems, written in a variety of forms, some rhymed and most not. Each is featured in a one- or two-page spread with realistic, appropriately dark, attractive illustrations by Laberis. A fine collection of poetical odes to a nicely diverse group of nighttime fauna." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Harrison explores the active nighttime hours of 21 nocturnal species. Scientific facts and lifestyle insights, some slightly veiled, are woven into poetic language in a mix of free verse... and rhyme. Warmth and foreboding emanate from the nocturnal creatures as Laberis's shadowed nightscapes show a hum of quiet--and not so quiet--activity in an otherwise sleepy world... An immersive volume of nocturnes for young animal enthusiasts." -- Publishers Weekly

"Each of these poems, written in different styles and meters, profiles a nocturnal animal. Subjects range from familiar critters like fireflies and skunks to scary carnivores like cougars and wolves to truly exotic beasts: the Mexican red-knee tarantula and the Arizona hairy scorpion. Full-page illustrations featuring shadowy palettes illuminate the words, which appear in a bright white font and pop against the dark backgrounds. The poems make great read-alouds, and the content makes this suitable for STEAM applications." -- Booklist

About the Author

David L. Harrison has written nearly one hundred books picture books, poetry books, and nonfiction books for children. Among dozens of awards, David's poetry collection, Pirates, represented Missouri at the 2013 National Book Fair in Washington, D.C., and The Society of Midland Authors honored his book of poetry, Now You See Them, Now You Don't, with its Children's Nonfiction Literary Award. Visit davidlharrison.com.

Stephanie Laberis is a character designer and illustrator specializing in animation and children's publications. She is the illustrator of multiple picture books, including Like a Lizard; My Little Golden Book About Dinosaurs; Grumpy Cat A is for Awful; and Fur, Feather, Fin--All of Us are Kin. Visit stephlaberis.carbonmade.com.