Night Light by Michael Emberley

I continue to be confused by the distinction between picture book and graphic novel in this line of I Like To Read comics, but when the results are as outstanding as they are here, it seems unusually pedantic (even for me!) to quibble.

Night Light is another beautiful book from Michael Emberley’s series featuring a caretaker and child of indeterminate species. They’re snuggling down for bedtime reading when the lights in their city suddenly go out. This is a problem because Child wants one more story, and the one flashlight that they have handy is running out of batteries. So what are a creative caretaker and child to do? Turn to the skies, ofc!

This is a sweet story about not only adapting to adversity but also being considerate and, perhaps most importantly, learning to find the beautiful in the unconventional. There is a bit of unspoken commentary regarding light pollution towards the end, tho it’s entirely likely that I’m reading a little too much into that.

What I can say for certain is that Mr Emberley’s art continues to charm as much as his story does. The colors are especially gorgeous as Caretaker and Child experience different permutations of light and darkness in their quest to get just one more bedtime story in. The palette of blues, purples and golds is rich and arresting.

The characters’ dedication to getting their bedtime stories in will captivate any kids who clamor for the same. I was also impressed with the quality of the language used throughout. It’s at the perfect level for beginning readers, but is done in such a way that I didn’t even notice any lack of sophistication till my second pass through the book. Mr Emberley has been working in children’s books for decades, winning multiple awards along the way, and his mastery of the subject shows. This is a terrific addition to any early readers’ library, and heartwarming for both kids and their caretakers.

Night Light by Michael Emberley was published April 15 2025 by Holiday House and is available from all good booksellers, including