The Night Mother Vol. 1 - by Jeremy Lambert (Paperback)

About the Book

"The moon is stuck like a broken clock in the midnight sky, the sun a distant memory. No one in this quiet seaside town can remember how long this unnatural darkness has lasted. No one, that is, except for the curious girl who lives in the graveyard, caring for the dead: twelve-year-old Madeline Tock. In gratitude, the departed whisper their worries to her, sounding just like her overprotective but loving father: beware this endless night and she who causes it. Because there's someone else who can hear the whispers, too...someone whose gown is a map of the cosmos, hair a tangled constellation, eyes like the lights of farawa stars. The Night Mother. Her elemental duty is to gather the souls of the dead in her lantern, then send them to their eternal rest as beautiful moonlight. But when her hunger for power drives her to take souls from the living, Madeline bravely stands up to defend her town and those she loves. Can Madeline help bring back the sun, or will she be lured by the starry promises of this mysterious woman?"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Myth-making with a majestic monster at its heart, laced with style and suspense." --Kirkus Reviews

"A haunting yet poignant story that will leave readers hungry for more." --Publishers Weekly

"Mysterious and spooky [...] This gothic graphic novel will appeal to young readers who want to branch out from the popular tropes of middle grade stories." --School Library Journal

Endless night befalls a sleepy seaside town, leaving it to young Madeline Tock to save her community from a threat known only as the Night Mother . . .

The moon is stuck like a broken clock in the midnight sky, the sun a distant memory. No one in this quiet seaside town can remember how long this unnatural darkness has lasted. No one, that is, except for the curious girl who lives in the graveyard, caring for the dead: twelve-year-old Madeline Tock. In gratitude, the departed whisper their worries to her, sounding just like her overprotective but loving father: beware this endless night and she who causes it.

Because there's someone else who can hear the whispers, too . . . someone whose gown is a map of the cosmos, hair a tangled constellation, eyes like the lights of faraway stars. The Night Mother. Her elemental duty is to gather the souls of the dead in her lantern, then send them to their eternal rest as beautiful moonlight. But when her hunger for power drives her to take souls from the living, Madeline bravely stands up to defend her town and those she loves. Can Madeline help bring back the sun, or will she be lured by the starry promises of this mysterious woman?

Written by Jeremy Lambert (Doom Patrol, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Goosebumps) and richly illustrated by Alexa Sharpe (Lumberjanes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Uncanny Magazine), The Night Mother is a lush gothic tale perfect for readers of all ages who relish in the wonder of the night sky.

Review Quotes

"An enchantingly fairy-tale-feeling world."-- "Booklist"

"A haunting yet poignant story that will leave readers hungry for more."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Myth-making with a majestic monster at its heart, laced with style and suspense."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"Giving off vibes of a gothic version of Ponyo crossed with A Wrinkle in Time, this fantasy from a Buffy comics writer and a Lumberjanes artist takes place in a coastal town stuck in eternal eve."-- "Publishers Weekly, Top 10 Most Anticipated Middle Grade Graphic Novels for Fall 2024"

About the Author

Jeremy Lambert is a writer and filmmaker from Bowie, Maryland. He's known for his comics work on Doom Patrol, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Hellmouth, Dungeons & Dragons, Goosebumps, The Hollywood Special, and his stories for Warhammer, among others. As a film producer, his productions for Breakwater Studios, Ltd. have won an Academy Award and James Beard Award. This is the first volume in the Night Mother trilogy by Alexa Sharpe and Jeremy, with Volumes II and III to follow. He believes there are few things in life better than a nice pair of socks.

Alexa Sharpe is a Los Angeles-based book illustrator who has worked on Lumberjanes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Rolled & Told, and Uncanny Magazine. Her art is a window into dreamlike worlds that frighten and delight in equal measure.