Stormy Night by Michèle Lemieux

Lemieux, M. (1999). Stormy night. Toronto, Ontario: Kids Can Press Ltd.

Summary:

Set in the beginning, middle, and end of a storm, Stormy Night chronicles the thought processes of a young girl while she cannot fall asleep. With her dog, Fido, present, the young girl questions everything. Her anxiety over her questions correlates with the weather. Her fears finally subside along with the passing of the storm, and while no question is resolved, her mind is at peace.

Advisory Information:

-Themes:

This book has too many themes to list in its entirety. Whether it is due to her inability to sleep, or the thoughts of an overactive mind at rest, or the coming storm, the girl seems to use free association to come up with questions. Themes would include, but are not limited to: the girl’s place in the world, her appearance, her identity, and her future. Additionally the young girl ponders universal questions like why are we here, what happens when we dream, when we die, and so forth.

Age Recommendation:

While the book does appear to be a picture book, the text is more for older children, say between 3rd and 6th grade.

Other Information:

The author is also the illustrator.

Stormy Night was awarded the 1999 Bologna Ragazzi Award , Bologna Book Fair Winner.

Reactions:

The illustrations make this book; they set the tone and pace, elaborate on the questions and aid in the characterization of the young girl and her dog. I enjoyed the book in that the author was able to take abstract thoughts and questions that a child might not yet think of, and plant the seed of wonder through her illustrations. Furthermore, she justifies all questions as honest and acceptable, even if they reveal our limitations and insecurities as humans. Children might not understand some of the questions or that the storm correlates these emotions, however, there is much they can take from this book.