Night Walk
Age 3+
Picture Storybooks
A tender picture book about loss and remembrance set against the extraordinary beauty of the natural world, written and illustrated by the award-winning Jason Cockcroft.
Just before sunrise, a boy and his grandfather set off on Grandma’s favourite walk to find Grandma’s favourite place. Is it the stream with the leaping frogs and flashing trout? The hidden hollow where the mother deer lives with her fawn? No, Grandma’s favourite place is where she watched the sunrise. The perfect place for her grandchild to remember her.
Creators
Born in New Zealand, Jason Cockcroft grew up in the north of England and studied illustration at Falmouth University. He has illustrated numerous picture books and fiction titles for all ages, most notably contributing the cover artwork for three of the original UK editions of the Harry Potter series. His debut fiction title We Were Wolves published in 2021 and was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
Reviews
This tender and gentle picture book for three to seven-year-olds sensitively addresses loss and remembrance, and could prove helpful to any family with young children who have lost a loved one.
The Courier Dundee
A tender tale of love, loss and remembering with exquisite scenes of the natural world from a variety of viewpoints, which clearly reflect the artist’s love of nature as well as that of the story characters herein.
Books for Keeps
Cockcroft’s conversational text showcases the tender bond between loving family members and the wonder of nature experienced through different senses. The grandchild’s text is differentiated from the grandfather’s by italics. Mixed-media illustrations use perspective well to convey the young child’s sense of wonder while capturing and embracing the quiet, fleeting moments of life that can be missed if you don’t pay attention.A sweet look at the bond between generations and the wonder of nature.
Kirkus Reviews
A grandfather takes his grandson on a nighttime walk to honor his late grandmother in this ethereal picture book about grief and remembrance. With their orange and yellow hats and red backpacks, a grandfather and his grandson set out into the inky blues and purples of a pre-dawn forest to find his late grandma’s favorite place. Along the way, they recall many treasured moments with Grandma before finally arriving at the place she loved the most—a special site they now share.
Foreword Review, Danielle Ballantyne
