Night Walk

by Jason Cockcroft

This tender intergenerational story about loss and remembrance is set against the extraordinary beauty of the natural world.

In the darkness just before sunrise, a sleepy boy and his grandfather set off on Grandma’s favorite walk to find her favorite place. Is it the woods where multicolored moths flutter? Or the stream with its leaping frogs and flashing trout? The hidden hollow where a mother deer lives with her fawn? As grandfather and grandchild stand gazing over the water to the horizon, and the sun begins to rise, it becomes clear to the boy that they’ve finally reached Grandma’s favorite place—and it’s the perfect spot to remember her. With stunning illustrations evoking the wonder of wild creatures, the chill of the air at dawn, and the golden light of the sun as it rises, author-illustrator Jason Cockcroft captures a quiet moment in one child’s life that will long reverberate.

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Death, Family, Grief, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

Published February 18, 2025

About the author

Jason Cockcroft is the illustrator of many acclaimed picture books, including Room for a Little One: A Christmas Tale by Martin Waddell, Billywise by Judith Nicholls, and Jason and the Golden Fleece by James Riordan. He lives in Whitby, England, with his wife, Lisa, and their two cats. COUNTER CLOCKWISE is his first novel.

Reviews

[Becs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a bittersweet little book. It has stunning, thoughtfully chosen illustrations and feels like a sleepy bedtime story but has a real sucker-punch narrative.

Grandad has lost grandma, and so he's taking his grandson to see her favourite places out in the woods as a way to remember her since her passing. It's a sweet account of some of the things she loved - hedgehogs, feeling the fish run through the water, looking at the foxes in the fields - with the calm, guiding hand of the grandfather.

I love that it could be used as a tool to support children working through the loss of a grandparent in finding happy ways to remember them or feel close to them; I think that's beautiful and I can't think of a story like this that I've seen before.

It's perhaps not one that children will rush to pick up - it has a somber undertone - but I think as a parent this is one I'll one day be grateful to have on the shelf.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely book in several aspects. While the grandfather is drawn or painted with a somewhat angular style, he is still pictured as a gentle, endearing character. He and the child go on a walk at night and this walk is special. They walk remembering all the things that the grandmother loved about her own walks - especially at night.

As they walk, they talk and wonder if each spot is grandmother's favorite. Only at the end do they find that very special spot.

The book doesn't really talk of death, but it is sensed in the sweet and sober memories of grandmother.

The illustrations of each two-page spread beautifully capture the richness of the country-side at night with lots of foliage, critters, and beautiful expanses of sky.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this one so much. You can feel the grief shared between a grandpa and his grandson as they take a night walk through all of grandma's favorite spots. The colors are beautiful and really reflect the mood set in each spot: the woods where the moths flutter, the hollow where a mother deer sits with her fawn, the stream where the frogs leap, and finally the blindingly beautiful sunrise. You can practically feel its warmth or the cool temps from the page. I'm in love with the soft lines and colors, as well as the speckles that litter the page as if from the flick of a paintbrush. For the geeks out there, the art style immediately made me think of the video games "The Long Dark" or "Firewatch".

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A grandfather takes a boy on a hike at night to all the places his grandmother loved. The illustrations are exquisite. I didn't know what the favorite place was going to be, so the ending gave me chills. beautiful!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the animals in the illustrations, especially the very large frog. A Grandfather and grandson take a walk to find Grandmother’s favorite spot on this walk she took when she was living. Quiet peaceful story that could provide discussion about missing a loved one.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young Adult Books Central

A boy's grandfather wakes him up very early in the morning to go on a walk through the countryside to his his grandmother's favorite places. They walk through the woods, across an open field where they see a fox, and past a stream where the grandmother loved to have picnics. Continuing through the darkness, they pass a hollow with a deer and an owl, and stop to rest and look at the stars. As the sun comes up and the world is filled with light, they stand in a field and bask in the beauty of the sunrise in the grandmother's favorite place. The boy is glad to finally see this, and he and his grandmother think happy thoughts about the grandmother, and vow to think about her whenever they come here.

The artwork is absolutely gorgeous, and the dark blue and purple palette of most of the walk makes the sunrise's oranges and pinks even more striking. The plants and wildlife are all beautifully rendered, and there's a woodsy, 1970s feel to much of the background. The boy and his grandfather are both engaging; I picked this up because the grandfather on the cover looks a bit like one of my friends.

I also picked this up because the publisher's description starts "In a magical time before sunrise, a boy and his grandpa step outside for a joyful walk through nature", but it's important to know that this isn't an upbeat book about enjoying nature like Turcotte's The Sun Never Hurries. It's a book about grief, since the grandmother has clearly passed away.

This will no doubt be used in bibliotherapy for children dealing with loss, along with Karst's The Invisible String, Davies' Grandad's Island, and Krishnaswami's Remembering Grandad.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know how sometimes the illustrations in a picture book take preeminence over the text? NIGHT WALK may be one of those. I absolutely did not need a word of the text to for this book to tell me a wonderful story of time spent on a nighttime walk in the woods by a boy and his dad/grandfather. I told myself all sorts of stories about what they might be seeing as they walked and how they would talk about those sights. The love between the two was apparent and the beauty of the outdoors made clear with mixed media illustrations that filled the pages. Readers/listeners will be asking their parents, grands, adult in their lives if they can grab a flashlight and take such a walk. When you add the text, the message of how special memories can be when you walk the same path as a loved one who who has died crystallizes, but teachers and caregivers certainly have options for how to use this gorgeously illustrated book by author/illustrator Jason Cockcroft. Writing teachers in elementary and even older grades could use this one as a mentor text for effective sensory language. Also notable is the change in font giving clarity to who is speaking during the walk. With its message on remembering those who have died, this book also has a place on the shelves of counselors to children, as well

Outstanding resource in libraries serving PK-grade 3 and even older if using as a writing (or illustrating) mentor text.

Thanks for sharing a finished copy with me, Candlewick Press/Penguin Random House.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Night Walk is beautiful. A child and grandfather take a predawn walk - Grandma's walk - recalling how much she enjoyed each aspect of the walk, especially its destination: the crest of a hill with a perfect view of the rising sun. The child and grandfather delight in happy recollections and grieve her loss. Night Walk is a moving example of heartfelt remembrance. The child and adult share their peace and their grief, modeling what supportive love looks like. The muted predawn colors and sparse text leave space for the reader to sit with any personal feelings that may come. This gentle and reassuring book treats grief in a way that should be relatable to many.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching story that explores grief and remembering those we have lost in an accessible and appropriate approach for very young reader. A young boy and his grandpa walk through the woods just before daybreak. Each animal and view reminds them of their grandma, who must have been a nature-lover. Finally, they reach a scenic overlook where they watch the sunrise--grandma's favorite place, and a reminder that her memory lives on within those who loved her and through things she loved.

[Morgan the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was beautiful in every way. The illustrations were works of art-I would love several of them as art prints! The story also felt like such a beautiful way to explore grief without overly delving into the painful bits and focusing on the things that the people we lost loved most. I enjoyed it immensely.

[Shelby Hensley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Night Walk by Jason Cockcroft is a beautifully illustrated story that captures the quiet wonder of exploring nature at night. The gentle relationship between the child and caregiver makes the story feel warm and comforting. It’s a calming, imaginative book that encourages curiosity and appreciation for the natural world.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely and magical night hike in the woods give a grandfather and grandchild a chance to grieve and celebrate their beloved grandmother. Love the art, the pacing, and the vibe. My favorite 2025 picture book so far. (Thanks for the ARC Edelweiss and Candlewick!)

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gentle way to introduce the concept of death. Grandpa takes his grandson on a predawn walk to help them both process their grief by visiting Grandma’s special haunts and conjuring her presence on their way to her favorite place of all. Colorful illustrations depict the many hues of grief.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grandfather and grandchild grieving and loving a person who has passed by walking along her path through the darkness to the light of a new day. Lovely story. Lovely pictures. All just the right touch of sad.

[Patricia Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet with beautiful illustrations.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grandfather and grandchild go on an early morning walk, retracing the path that G'ma used to take to her favorite place. An excellent resource for children exploring the loss of a grandparent.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations highlight a simple walk through the woods to remember a lost loved one.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coen’s Summer of Books

A lovely tribute to the favorite places of lost loved ones. Coen did not cry, but Mom may have.

[S46354595 · Rating 5 out of 5]

They saw a fox 🦊