wanderaven's review against another edition
5.0
LOVE this book. Okay, so I went into it biased: how very far wrong can you go with Jon Klassen and Lemony Snicket? This book was released the same day as Kate Atkinson's new novel and I was just slightly more excited for that release as I was this one.
Given that excitement, it could have been a huge letdown but it most certainly is not. Klassen's art and Snicket's words are a fantastic marriage. Of course, you know from the cover that the point of the story is the protagonist's confrontation with The Dark, but I adored how Laszlo, unlike some other protagonists, didn't wait until he was forced to confront his foe but tried, at first, to deal with it on his own:
"But in the morning the dark would be back in the basement, where it belonged. Laszlo would peek at the dark every morning.
'Hi,' he would say. 'Hi, dark.'
Laszlo thought that if he visited the dark in the dark's room, maybe the dark wouldn't come visit him in his room."
Granted, this is more of a let's-give-a-little-sacrifice-to-the-monster-in-his-lair-with-hopes-he'll-stay-there than a full confrontation, but I applaud Lazslo his courage, nonetheless. The last line in the book - not provided here since I suppose it could constitute a spoiler - is so simple and yet insightful, so equally applicable for children and adults.
Love!!
Given that excitement, it could have been a huge letdown but it most certainly is not. Klassen's art and Snicket's words are a fantastic marriage. Of course, you know from the cover that the point of the story is the protagonist's confrontation with The Dark, but I adored how Laszlo, unlike some other protagonists, didn't wait until he was forced to confront his foe but tried, at first, to deal with it on his own:
"But in the morning the dark would be back in the basement, where it belonged. Laszlo would peek at the dark every morning.
'Hi,' he would say. 'Hi, dark.'
Laszlo thought that if he visited the dark in the dark's room, maybe the dark wouldn't come visit him in his room."
Granted, this is more of a let's-give-a-little-sacrifice-to-the-monster-in-his-lair-with-hopes-he'll-stay-there than a full confrontation, but I applaud Lazslo his courage, nonetheless. The last line in the book - not provided here since I suppose it could constitute a spoiler - is so simple and yet insightful, so equally applicable for children and adults.
Love!!
ameve2's review against another edition
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
acdhamija's review against another edition
5.0
By the beam of his flashlight, Laszlo explores the dark’s hiding places in his big, empty house. The dark spends most of its time in the basement, where Laszlo is afraid to enter. His fear of the dark comes to a head one night when his night light goes out, and he hears the voice of the dark in his room. It turns out that the dark is not as scary as Laszlo thought, and it even helps Laszlo find a new bulb for his nightlight. Lemony Snicket’s clever personification of the dark will help children realize that “without the dark, everything would be light.” Striking contrasts between pure black and bright, sepia-toned gouache illustrations by Jon Klassen underscore this theme. Recipient of Charlotte Zolotow Award for outstanding picture book writing and New York Times Best Illustrated award. An excellent choice to address the common fear of the dark. Without patronizing, the unique approach of this book encourages children to consider the important role that the dark plays in their daily lives. Highly Recommended. Ages 3-7.
maireador20's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
pagesofpins's review against another edition
4.0
A boy afraid of the dark talks back and forth with The Dark. Slightly sinister, yet charming in its simplicity.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Costed me a bit of money (and my boyfriend thought I was a bit crazy to buy it for that price, even I thought I was crazy a bit), but it is more then worth it. Lemony Snicket (my favourite author) and Jon Klassen (one of my favourite illustrators) working together. :)
Loved this book. :)
Loved this book. :)