Night Song - by Mk Smith Despres (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

A sad sack frog, who bemoans his inability to sing like a bird, discovers the vital role he's meant to play in his woodland home in this debut picture book from Mk Smith Despres, gorgeously illustrated by award-winning artist Hyewon Yum.

A 2025 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year, Outstanding Merit!
Finalist for the 2024 New England Book Award, Best Picture Book!
Longlisted for the 2025 Mass Book Award, Best Picture Book/Early Reader!

Every morning as the sun rises, Bernardo the frog loves greeting the day by listening to the beautiful birdsong that fills the woods with joy. Inspired, Bernardo attempts to sing, too... but his croaking voice doesn't quite have the same effect. No matter what he does, Bernardo feels graceless and like he just doesn't add up. Dejected and down in the dumps, Bernardo sees no place for himself, until a woodland neighbor praises the hushed sounds that dusk brings, thus awakening Bernardo to his place in the woods' great symphony.

Review Quotes

A 2025 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year, Outstanding Merit! "A frog who wishes to sing like the morning birds is reminded of his important vocal role at dusk. Lyrical text and idyllic art in pencil, ink, and watercolor."-- "Bank Street College of Education"

STARRED REVIEW! ★ "This is a lovely, quiet fable about community. The text is full of observations of the habitat of a woodland pond, and the gorgeous artwork creates a peaceful setting, with its artful employment of watercolor, colored pencils and ink. This calm, beautiful, nature-centered book is sure to please readers who enjoy the imagined inner life of animals. For ages 4-8, when a quiet book about fitting in is what's needed. All collections that serve young children should buy this book."--Stephanie Tournas, Robbins Library (Arlington, MA) "Youth Services Book Review"

"Colored pencils are layered over watercolors in intricate illustrations that evoke the chill of misty mornings, the golden light of afternoons, and the gentle hush of twilight in this picture book about self-acceptance and belonging."-- "Foreword Reviews"

"Debut author Despres's lyrical text captures the tenor and distinct rhythm of morning and night. Yum's atmospheric colored pencil, watercolor, and ink cartoon illustrations provide stunning views of the sunrise and sunset. This is a harmonious picture book about embracing your own voice."-- "Booklist"

"Hyewon Yum's illustrations bring vibrancy to Night Song, a picture book for children ages 4-8 written with gentle humor by Mk Smith Despres... With its inventive text and appealing pictures, this is a special book."-- "Wall Street Journal"

"In this lyrically told be-yourself story, a frog named Bernardo longs to join the birds whose dawn song inspires the sun... The frog's perspective doesn't shift until a small friend reminds Bernardo of the role he plays in another musical drama: the dusk song that puts the woods to sleep. Assured lines by debut creator Smith Despres convey the wonder of change brought by the day's rhythms, while limpid colored pencil, watercolor, and ink spreads by Yum deliver giggles and render subtly changing light and color in this hymn to contemplating one's place in the world."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Using a mix of watercolor, colored pencil, and ink, Yum illustrates Despres' lilting, sonorous text with idyllic scenes of songbirds and waterfowl, butterflies and dragonflies, amid verdant tufts of greenery and sprays of flowers. As the day passes and the tonal palette dims subtly from bright day to a cool blue star-flecked night, one last view leaves the small frog with eyes closed in blissful appreciation. Poetic and peaceful: a natural for bedtime reading."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"Yum's sweet watercolors render a serene pond setting, with all the life emerging for the day, balanced by the tranquility of night. The scenes are an ideal marriage of story and art, with many opportunities to project ahead to the happy resolution. VERDICT: Children will love and relate to the arc of Bernard's story as he patters from job to job; this is a quiet lesson on finding one's place, big or small, night or day."-- "School Library Journal"

About the Author

Mk Smith Despres writes, teaches, and reads lots of books with their family in western Massachusetts, where the stars are particularly bright and the night song is especially beautiful.

Hyewon Yum is an author and illustrator of many picture books, including The Happiness of a Dog with a Ball in Its Mouth, which was named a Best Children's Book of 2021 by the New York Times; The Twins' Blanket, a Junior Library Guild selection; and Mom, It's My First Day of Kindergarten!, which won the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator award and was selected as a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her family.