UNDER THE NIGHT SKY

The residents of an apartment building, in particular a mother and son, are brought together by the aurora borealis. The young boy’s nightly routine rarely varies—he gets into bed when his across-the-hall neighbor tells him but secretly stays awake until his mother gets home. That’s why it is so out of the ordinary when she pounds loudly up the stairs, telling him to pull on his outdoor things. Her smile reassures him, but he is still curious—even more when the neighbors join them outside. They sit together in the parking lot, looking up at the night sky. There, the colorful northern lights flicker and flash. Against this wonder, the mother reminds her son that they will not always agree about things and may argue, but that this night should remind him that she is on his side and will try to give him life’s best. Rich’s dark, jewel-toned colors light the night sky and reflect on the faces of the neighbors. Her paintings tremble with a feeling of anticipation and a sense that magic is in the air. Lundebrek’s debut celebrates nature’s power to transform the ordinary. (Picture book. 4-8)