DARK ON LIGHT, by Dianne White and Felicita Sala, Beach Lane Books, Dec. 6, 2022, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 3-8)
Three siblings set out to explore nighttime nature in Dark on Light, a new picture book written by Dianne White and illustrated by Felicita Sala.
Gentle the evening. Sweeping the skies.
Dark the shadows as twilight arrives.
Rose the horizon, gleaming and bright.
Twilight and evening and dark on light.
When the family dog trots away from the house at sunset, three siblings tumble out the door to go find him. Soon they find themselves immersed in the luminous colors, shades, and shadows of nature at night — both dark and light. They wander through moonlit lavender meadows, past a timid fawn, beneath a snowy white owl, and much, much more as the night deepens until, at last, they find their sneaky pup. —Synopsis provided by Beach Lane Books
The first thing you notice with Dark on Light are its beautiful illustrations. Illustrator Felicita Sala’s use of color and light draw you in. Readers will instantly recognize these expressive depictions of nighttime fun as something similar to their own evening romps.
Author Dianne White’s rhythmic text provides the perfect framework for the art. Her prose is lyrical and sparse while being fully realized at the same time.
Dark on Light is a lovely book to read aloud, making it a good choice for family or individual reading.
About the creators:
Dianne White is fond of lavender blooms and the way an orange moon hangs in the evening sky. She’s the author of several picture books, including the award-winning Blue on Blue, illustrated by Caldecott medalist Beth Krommes, and Green on Green, illustrated by Felicita Sala. Dianne lives with her family in Gilbert, Arizona, where many nights at twilight, the desert blazes rose on sapphire on dark on light. For more information and to download a free activity kit, visit diannewrites.com. Connect with her on Instagram: @diannewrites, Facebook: Dianne White and Twitter: @diannewrites
Felicita Sala is a self-taught illustrator and painter. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She now lives and works in Rome. She draws inspiration from nature, children, mid-century illustration, folk art, and architecture. To learn more, visit felicitasala.com and on Instagram: @felicita.sala
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