A Dark, Dark Cave

February 22, 2016
Readers will have an opportunity to assume their best spooky voices in this shivery story of brother-and-sister spelunkers. “Bats in flight/ disappear from sight/ in a dark, dark cave,” writes Hoffman (Best Best Colors), as beams from the siblings’ flashlights reveal glinting subterranean crystals and just-ominous-enough winged creatures. Just when the “dark, dark cave” refrains have built to a fever pitch and readers may begin to think that these kids have the least attentive parents ever, a scary figure looming at the cave’s mouth turns out to be their father: “That’s too loud, kids. Find a quiet game. The baby’s sleeping.” The cave, it turns out, is actually made from blankets and chairs—the bats were marionettes, while the “shining eyes” and “giant paws” that were so menacing belong to the family cat. Newcomer Tabor’s mixed-media illustrations have a lively DIY spirit that mirrors the siblings’ ingenuity. But there’s nothing amateur about the repertoire of techniques he employs to convey a sense of the deep, dark unknown and his characters’ (mostly) intrepid explorations. Ages 4–6. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

March 15, 2016
Who is down there in the dark, dark cave? Two white siblings use their imaginations to fearlessly investigate a mysterious cave in this gently suspenseful and lyrical tale. "The pale moon glows // as a cold wind blows / through a dark, dark cave." Digitally assembled watercolors show the two intrepid explorers bathed in the light of their flashlights as they journey through the cavern and provide plenty of details to get lost in. The poetic text has just the right amount of repetition and adds an atmosphere of mystery and fun. But wait! What's that approaching light? "That's too loud, kids. Find a quiet game. The baby's sleeping," says Dad prosaically, abruptly ending the spell. From under their homemade cave (complete with chairs and blanket), the siblings try to find another game to play. Can they do it? Of course they can! The surprise twist is a nice touch, and the gentle suspense and willing belief of the characters are charming and realistic. This joyful, timeless exploration of play is sure to be an inspirational spark to young readers, who will then embark on their own imaginary games. Readers young and old will find much to appreciate in this celebration of the imagination. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 1-A boy, girl, and dog enter a cave with a flashlight. They see bats, stalactites, stalagmites, lizards, large yellow eyes, giant paws, and then a large, human shadow; they "Roooaaaar!" On the next spread, their father lifts the blanket of their "cave" and tells them to "find a quiet game. The baby's sleeping." The siblings devise a plan to pretend to be two horses running "to a blanket barn/wearing manes of yarn/playing happily/in what used to be/a dark, dark cave." The story relies on digitally assembled illustrations created with watercolor, pencil, and colored pencil, as the most text on any spread is 13 words, providing scant description. The dark cave scenes are appropriately abstract but may be difficult for younger readers to follow. The horse-riding scenes are bright, sunny, and detailed. Pretend play is more satisfyingly conveyed in Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt and David Axtell's We're Going on a Lion Hunt. Suggest Lemony Snicket's The Dark to readers who wish to shiver with expert pacing in text and atmospheric illustrations.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2017
In a suspenseful rhyming text, two children venture into a cave, meet a scary beast...and are interrupted by Dad, who requests quiet as he pulls open their quilt-constructed cave. Undaunted, the siblings create a different imaginative play scenario--still noisy, of course. The visual tone shifts seamlessly from cave to bedroom to sunlit pasture, fully realizing all three settings.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)