FICTION

What There is Before There is Anything There: A Scary Story

by LINIERS
tr. from Spanish by Elisa Amado. illus. by Liniers. 24P. House of Anansi/Groundwood. 2014. TR $18.95. ISBN 9781554983858.
COPY ISBN
K-GR 2—Liniers's story tackles one of the biggest childhood fears: the dark. A young boy's nighttime rituals are observed as his parents bid him good night. When the light is turned out, darkness creeps in and strange creatures emerge, surrounding his bed and staring at him. The child ultimately asks to sleep with his parents, but the real twist comes when the first bizarre being, a blue blob with a long pointed nose, appears at the foot of his mom and dad's bed. Liniers's cartoons effectively capture an imagination run wild. This is the perfect book for those who loved Jon Klassen and Lemony Snicket's The Dark (Little, Brown, 2013).—Krishna Grady, Darien Library, CT
Every night a boy's ceiling becomes a black void. Down floats a succession of bizarre creatures; finally comes something dark and shapeless, announcing, "I am what there is before there is anything there." This is a scary story indeed--with unflinching ink and wash illustrations--but kids who suffer through similarly tortured bedtimes may find validation in Argentinian cartoonist Liniers's bravely existential picture book.
Argentinian cartoonist Liniers's (The
Reviewed by Krishna Grady , Nov 01, 2014

Be the first reader to comment.

Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

BOOKS

Noisy Christmas: My First Touch and Feel Sound Book
by Cox, Hettie
BOOKS

Five Sparkling Snowmen: A Rhyming Count Down Christmas Board Book
by Edwards, Nicola
BOOKS

A Magical Christmas: A Padded Christmas Story Book
by Freedman, Claire
BOOKS

Night Night, Sleepy Elves: A Lift-the-Flap Bedtime Christmas Book
by Wood, Selina
BOOKS

Love Is My Favorite Color
by Laden, Nina
BOOKS

Harriet’s Reflections
by Kadi, Marion
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?