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Night Out
Evoking picture book classics like Aaron Becker's
Journey
and Chris Van Allsburg's
The Polar Express,
here is an emotionally rich bedtime picture book about a lonely child's nighttime adventure that is also a showcase for the extraordinary illustrations of Daniel Miyares.
When a small, friendless boy goes to bed at his boarding school, an adventure is about to begin! First he finds an invitation in his turtle's bowl. Next he makes an escape--out the window, through the woods, across a river, and onto an island. And then he joins a grand celebration, with larger-than-life animals serving tea and dancing late into the night. And finally? After the journey back, he has a fantastic story to tell--the perfect way to make a friend.
A simple text and glorious illustrations combine to make a deceptively powerful and touching picture book, cementing Daniel Miyares's reputation as one of the most exciting children's book author-illustrators working today.
When a small, friendless boy goes to bed at his boarding school, an adventure is about to begin! First he finds an invitation in his turtle's bowl. Next he makes an escape--out the window, through the woods, across a river, and onto an island. And then he joins a grand celebration, with larger-than-life animals serving tea and dancing late into the night. And finally? After the journey back, he has a fantastic story to tell--the perfect way to make a friend.
A simple text and glorious illustrations combine to make a deceptively powerful and touching picture book, cementing Daniel Miyares's reputation as one of the most exciting children's book author-illustrators working today.
40 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2018
3 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Miyares
32 books61 followersDaniel Miyares is a critically acclaimed picture book author and illustrator. Some of his books include Float, Night Out, Pardon Me!, Night Walk to the Sea, written by Deborah Wiles, and Hope at Sea. He also illustrated Surf's Up, written by Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander. Daniel believes that our stories have the power to connect us all. Daniel's story currently takes place in Lenexa, Kansas, with his wife, their two wonderful children and a dog named Violet who gives them all a run for their money.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
March 12, 2019
A young boy, the only one still awake in his dormitory late one night, spies a mysterious invitation in this mostly wordless picture-book from Daniel Miyares. Sneaking out the window and biking away, he meets up with a friendly turtle, who escorts him to a magical tea with a group of woodland animals. After a wonderful night out, the boy returns to his school with a marvelous tale to tell...
I expected something quite magical from Night Out, given the beautiful cover art, the fact that it involved a turtle (always a plus!), and that I enjoyed the illustrations in P.I. Maltbie's Bambino and Mr. Twain , the only other work of Daniel Miyares' that I had previously encountered. The artwork here, done in gouache and colored pencil, did not let me down! This is a beautiful book, one in which the visuals are more than capable of telling the story. Given that this was so, I found the minimal text here unnecessary at best and distracting at worst, and think the creator made a mistake, in not making this a wordless picture-book. Recommended (with the caveat that the artwork is much stronger than the words) to young dreamers who imagine nighttime adventures, and to Daniel Miyares fans.
I expected something quite magical from Night Out, given the beautiful cover art, the fact that it involved a turtle (always a plus!), and that I enjoyed the illustrations in P.I. Maltbie's Bambino and Mr. Twain , the only other work of Daniel Miyares' that I had previously encountered. The artwork here, done in gouache and colored pencil, did not let me down! This is a beautiful book, one in which the visuals are more than capable of telling the story. Given that this was so, I found the minimal text here unnecessary at best and distracting at worst, and think the creator made a mistake, in not making this a wordless picture-book. Recommended (with the caveat that the artwork is much stronger than the words) to young dreamers who imagine nighttime adventures, and to Daniel Miyares fans.
November 18, 2018
I would describe this as pleasant, but not special. I don't expect it to linger in my memory the way the somewhat-similar The Tea Party in the Woods. Possibly a little more text would have helped.
I did like that at the end the adventure/dream motivates the loner boy to connect with his peers by telling them the story.
I did like that at the end the adventure/dream motivates the loner boy to connect with his peers by telling them the story.
July 20, 2018
A young boy who has trouble making friends at boarding school sneaks out in the middle of the night to accept an invitation to a special party. A ride on the back of a giant turtle to an island tea party with forest creatures gives him an amazing story to tell.
Beautiful illustrations that have very little need of text puts the reader right into the story, sharing the child’s loneliness and his joy at finding new friends.
Beautiful illustrations that have very little need of text puts the reader right into the story, sharing the child’s loneliness and his joy at finding new friends.
January 25, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
Have you ever been in a room full of sleeping folk, and you are the only one wide-eyed awake? and if the moon reaches out, you just have to go, don't you? And would you be surprised if someone was waiting for you, just for you? And of course, it is the most natural thing in the world for that someone to take you to a place where folks are waiting just for you, and you all let loose in the most natural ways and spend the night like it's money in Vegas, and suddenly the sun taps you on the shoulder and it's time to slip back in the covers before anyone realizes you've been gone, but they catch you and so you just sit back and tell your tale. . . and they become the friends you needed yesterday, but that's ok because they are your besties now, and it is going to be a great day. . . .
Me and my guys loved this little book about reaching out, being inclusive, vanquishing the lone-onlies. AND THE ART? IT'S FABULOUS.
Have you ever been in a room full of sleeping folk, and you are the only one wide-eyed awake? and if the moon reaches out, you just have to go, don't you? And would you be surprised if someone was waiting for you, just for you? And of course, it is the most natural thing in the world for that someone to take you to a place where folks are waiting just for you, and you all let loose in the most natural ways and spend the night like it's money in Vegas, and suddenly the sun taps you on the shoulder and it's time to slip back in the covers before anyone realizes you've been gone, but they catch you and so you just sit back and tell your tale. . . and they become the friends you needed yesterday, but that's ok because they are your besties now, and it is going to be a great day. . . .
Me and my guys loved this little book about reaching out, being inclusive, vanquishing the lone-onlies. AND THE ART? IT'S FABULOUS.
July 25, 2018
I loved this! The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and I loved the minimal words.
November 30, 2018
Pretty but could have used some more words. The content is a little beyond the inference abilities of very young audiences, but that could just be me.
April 6, 2018
First sentence: All alone. An invitation? A decision.
Premise/plot: A lonely boarding school student has a once-in-a-lifetime adventure leading to a fantastical story to relate to his classmates the next morning.
My thoughts: How many times should you have to read a picture book to know if you liked it? I know two times wasn't enough to persuade me to like-like it. But I did like it more the second time than the first.
The text is sparse to say the least. One is really "reading" the illustrations. The pictures do a good job of conveying the themes of this story: loneliness and a longing to belong. One of the first spreads shows the boy eating dinner all alone. This isolation continues through the evening. But by the next morning, things have started to shift--a new day with new opportunities has dawned for the boy. The difference? An adventure that only a dreamer could have.
I wanted to like this one more than I did. I should like a book where the ADVENTURE ends up in a tea party. But it is such an odd gathering. I had trouble suspending my disbelief if I'm honest.
Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10
June 19, 2024
Beautiful, imaginative, lovely illustrations!
May 31, 2018
Of the two ‘just a Dream’ books I have read recently, I prefer this one. Night Out is essentially a wordless book held up by evocative, punchy sentence fragments (a style I must admit that I have something of a weakness for). This is a quite simple story about a boy’s imagined nighttime sojourn and the impact it makes in his life.
A natural comparison would be Miyakoshi’s Tea Party in the Woods. Although that book has no mysterious party invitation nor the appeal of a rule-breaking after hours ride into the dark, it does a have a tea party peopled with animals in common. If the party was all that there was to this book, the random quality of Miyakoshi’s and its sheer strangeness is easily more memorable. As pleasant as the actual ‘night out’ portion of Miyares’ story is, the real power of it lies in the scenes that bookend the titular sequence. Our protagonist is first shown alone, separate, and shy. At the end of the book, he tells the story of his dream to his peers; he leverages his imagination to connect. In a way, the tea party of the night before is repeated with human companions. I almost wish that there was a bit more of a denouement, because the profundity of this final scene flies by before it can really sink in.
Miyares has been illustrating consistently good books since his debut. I would love to see him get another award, although I don’t know if this book will be the one. I do hope he returns to this ‘almost wordless’ territory in future projects. Night Out displays his ability to make something with imagination and heart. Personally, I cannot wait to see how he mixes them into his next book.
A natural comparison would be Miyakoshi’s Tea Party in the Woods. Although that book has no mysterious party invitation nor the appeal of a rule-breaking after hours ride into the dark, it does a have a tea party peopled with animals in common. If the party was all that there was to this book, the random quality of Miyakoshi’s and its sheer strangeness is easily more memorable. As pleasant as the actual ‘night out’ portion of Miyares’ story is, the real power of it lies in the scenes that bookend the titular sequence. Our protagonist is first shown alone, separate, and shy. At the end of the book, he tells the story of his dream to his peers; he leverages his imagination to connect. In a way, the tea party of the night before is repeated with human companions. I almost wish that there was a bit more of a denouement, because the profundity of this final scene flies by before it can really sink in.
Miyares has been illustrating consistently good books since his debut. I would love to see him get another award, although I don’t know if this book will be the one. I do hope he returns to this ‘almost wordless’ territory in future projects. Night Out displays his ability to make something with imagination and heart. Personally, I cannot wait to see how he mixes them into his next book.
August 22, 2018
Miyares' illustrations are gorgeous in this nearly wordless picture book. A lonely young boy gets an invitation in the middle of the night. He accepts and ends up at an animal tea party.
The next day he has a story to share and friends to make.
It's all glorious, but it's this ending - this idea that our loneliness is diminished when we can tell our own stories and be heard, that wows me.
The next day he has a story to share and friends to make.
It's all glorious, but it's this ending - this idea that our loneliness is diminished when we can tell our own stories and be heard, that wows me.
January 21, 2019
Gentle story. A lonely boy gets an invitation and sneaks out to a party...in the woods with animals. Sweet, and nice illustrations but didn’t move me. Nice ending where the boy shares his story with the other boys
May 3, 2018
A delightful, dreamlike adventure. Sweet, gently surreal illustrations. This one's a lot of fun.
May 24, 2018
Although I'm not entirely clear if the story takes place in an orphanage or a boarding school, what is clear is that one boy seems terribly lonely. The illustrations, created with gouache and colored pencils, show him sitting alone at the dinner table, far removed from the other boys, and then lying sleepless in his bed. When he sees an envelope with an invitation, he climbs out of bed and heads out into the night where he has quite an adventure and shares tea with some new animal friends. When morning comes, and he's back in his bed, he's ready to tell the other youngsters about his night out. It could well be that storytelling serves as his entrée into some new friendships. Readers can interpret this night out as one he actually has or even one that he imagined while lying in that bed, unable to sleep. Either way, it gives him a new perspective on life and he's ready to embrace life's possibilities. I wonder how many of us would have been as eager as he is to head out into the dark for an unknown destination. The author has chosen to use words quite sparingly but to good effect here.
June 3, 2022
I'm going to say this is a wordless book even though there are words. If your kid sometimes feels like a loner, this one might be good. Not every page has words, but towards the beginning one page says, "All alone." And then another page says, "An invitation?". The boy is not exactly alone- he's in an orphanage or boarding school or something, because he eats at a table with other boys, but separate. And he sleeps next to several boys, so with my son we talked about how sometimes we can feel alone even when other people are around. This boy leaves and has an adventure and sails away on the back of a turtle. Then he comes back and has a story to share, and the other boys listen and then he eats with the other boys. Very cute book. I feel like it's about dreamers who feel alone, but anyone who feels alone and then decides to share something with others and make friends. The inside of the book says the illustrations are in gouache and colored pencils. I love the illustrations. I feel like they're in darked muted colors but when he feels like he belongs, those pages are brighter.
May 15, 2019
This isn't quite a wordless picture book, but there is very little text. The incredible illustrations of Daniel Miyares carry the story. The story has a dream-like, fantasy feel, and the gouache and colored pencil illustrations match this tone perfectly.
A young boy is feeling sad and lonely at the beginning of the story. We see him sitting at a banquet-style table, alone, while other boys talk and eat together. When he goes to bed at night, a mysterious invitation invites him to go on an adventure. The boy is able to cut the ice with the other boys the next morning when he shares his fantastical story. The book ends with the newcomer eating amidst the entire group of boys.
This book can be enjoyed just for the pure fantasy of the night adventure, as well as opening up a group conversation about how hard it is to be the new person among a group of people who already know each other.
A young boy is feeling sad and lonely at the beginning of the story. We see him sitting at a banquet-style table, alone, while other boys talk and eat together. When he goes to bed at night, a mysterious invitation invites him to go on an adventure. The boy is able to cut the ice with the other boys the next morning when he shares his fantastical story. The book ends with the newcomer eating amidst the entire group of boys.
This book can be enjoyed just for the pure fantasy of the night adventure, as well as opening up a group conversation about how hard it is to be the new person among a group of people who already know each other.
July 11, 2018
Wordless (or nearly wordless) picture books intrigue me. When I'm finished reading them, I can hear my reading voice say, "Did I read that the way I was supposed to?" which I know is ridiculous, but part of the charm, right? I almost always immediately reread these to make sure I didn't miss something, especially if the story I've crafted while reading doesn't seem quite right. I loved this book, for two reasons. First, the boy went from seeming so terribly lonely to having the night of his life (if at least in his dreams), and in the morning, getting some much-deserved attention. Second, the aspect of season two Netflix's The Crown that most captured my heart: Prince Charles at boarding school. I mean- how sad was that? This book made me think of his time there. I hope he was able to use books as a form of escape and a way to lift his spirits like this character.
May 21, 2018
As a human being there is nothing more heartbreaking than seeing a child alone when a group nearby is enjoying the company of each other. You see this more often than you would like as an educator. With gentle suggestions on your part a connection is possible between the group and the boy or girl without a friend.
Wishing for a friend, reaching out to others, is not always easy but the results can be rewarding and last a lifetime. Night Out (Schwartz & Wade Books, May 8, 2018) written and illustrated by Daniel Miyares takes readers on a magical journey of discovery. Our dreams can change the course of our lives.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
Wishing for a friend, reaching out to others, is not always easy but the results can be rewarding and last a lifetime. Night Out (Schwartz & Wade Books, May 8, 2018) written and illustrated by Daniel Miyares takes readers on a magical journey of discovery. Our dreams can change the course of our lives.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
January 22, 2019
Night Out by Daniel Miyares. PICTURE BOOK. Random House (Schwartz & Wade), 2018. $18.
9781524765729
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A boy, surrounded by others, is all alone. In the dark of night, a mysterious invitation appears. A decision is made and his journey to the unknown begins. The storyline unfolds in the illustrations as there is very little text.
The book has beautiful illustrations, but I wanted more text to understand the story. Why is the boy lonely? Why does he leave or not leave? Will he find a friend? I could relate to the loneliness.
Diann, Media Specialist
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
9781524765729
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
A boy, surrounded by others, is all alone. In the dark of night, a mysterious invitation appears. A decision is made and his journey to the unknown begins. The storyline unfolds in the illustrations as there is very little text.
The book has beautiful illustrations, but I wanted more text to understand the story. Why is the boy lonely? Why does he leave or not leave? Will he find a friend? I could relate to the loneliness.
Diann, Media Specialist
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...
September 23, 2019
I enjoyed this book and I can see how it will appeal to a certain audience of children. This book is not a wordless book, but contains short sentences to try to emphasize what is happening in the illustrations. For example , on page shows a boy in bed and says "All alone," another page shows him finding a letter and it says "An invitation" etc...
I do not mind books like this, but it is not a book for all children. It is a very imaginative book that shows how a boy who feels alone finds his courage to share his adventure with a group of boys and make new friends.
I would probably not use this book as a read aloud but will definitely add this to my collection for those select few who enjoy wordless books!
I do not mind books like this, but it is not a book for all children. It is a very imaginative book that shows how a boy who feels alone finds his courage to share his adventure with a group of boys and make new friends.
I would probably not use this book as a read aloud but will definitely add this to my collection for those select few who enjoy wordless books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2018
I had fun reading this picture book aloud with my three-year-old niece. While it is not a wordless picture book, the text is minimal, so she explained what was happening in the illustrations. We were both especially charmed by the giant turtle, and this is a small thing but I liked that the size of the animals at the tea party seemed to fluctuate. It added to the surrealism. On that note, I'm still not quite sure if this book follows a dream or a surreal adventure, but maybe that's the point - it's open to interpretation!
June 19, 2018
Night Out by Daniel Miyares - Is this a dream? The illustrations are at times scary but compelling. The tea party was a delight, bright & cheery! After a sad little boy's night out, the little boy has the tools to make a better day, & his life is better.
Will this cause children to consider a night out on their own, without parental permission? With that in mind, the story flips from imaginary play to real danger. Parents might want to read this story with their children & discuss possibilities.
Will this cause children to consider a night out on their own, without parental permission? With that in mind, the story flips from imaginary play to real danger. Parents might want to read this story with their children & discuss possibilities.
June 23, 2018
The stars of Daniel Miyares' NIGHT OUT are most certainly the sweeping, contrasted illustrations. I especially loved the pages with multiple vignettes (and that dreamy turtle!). For me, the text is a bit lacking (though I get how that minimalistic, sparse style is ideal for some) and I think much more could've been made of the storyline. I was a bit confused on whether this took place at a boarding school vs. an orphanage, but it remains clear that you can have the best of adventures...should you dream them.
June 29, 2018
Night Out has a dream like quality to it kind of reminds me a little of Where the Wild Things Are. An orphan boy after receiving an invitation, takes his pet turtle out on a night time adventure and has fun meeting other animals and joining in on a tea party. The boy then has a great story to tell to the other boys when he gets back. Beautifully illustrated! The children in my Books Before Bedtime program loved this. I paired it with Goodnight Owl. For an activity I used an owl and turtle puppet and we had them "bouncing on the bed" a fun parachute activity the children really enjoyed!
September 22, 2023
The words are sparse and the illustrations are beautiful and expressive in this book. In what is perhaps a boarding school for boys one little boy feels all alone. It seems that he doesn't really feel that he fits in with the other boys. One night he finds an invitation by his pet turtle's bowl. He decides to go, so he sneaks out at night and goes on a journey on his bike. He meets up with a surprise friends who takes him to a fun party where there is music and dancing. When he gets back before the other boys wake up he knows he has something to share.
June 21, 2018
Beautiful and engaging illustrations take the spotlight, allowing the story of, Night Out to unfold in pictures, verses, and words. Instantly inviting, this story opens the door to new adventure and discussion on the strength and courage you can find within, to reach out and make new friends.
you can find more of my reviews and giveaways in my syndicated printed newspaper column: For the Love of Books-Dixon's Independent Voice, as well on my Instagram: amy_fortheloveofbooks.
you can find more of my reviews and giveaways in my syndicated printed newspaper column: For the Love of Books-Dixon's Independent Voice, as well on my Instagram: amy_fortheloveofbooks.
September 1, 2018
A nearly wordless picture book that is open to interpretation. A lonely boy accepts an invitation (where did this invitation come from? Does it symbolize something?) that leads him to an adventure (a dream?) that helps him overcome his isolation and make friends. I'm not sure if there is a larger allegory with a lesson or moral, or if we are just meant to enjoy the boy finding friendship. The illustrations are gloriously beautiful, with striking use of light and dark.
December 13, 2018
A secret adventure with a turtle builds up a boy’s courage to make new friends. When a lonely boy, in what appears to be an orphanage or boarding school, finds an invitation (next to his pet turtle habitat), he sneaks away to attend the secret party. He rides on the back of a gigantic turtle, from a beach, to an animal tea party in a cave, after which he returns and shares his sweet adventure with his new friends.
April 22, 2019
Modern fantasy
K-2nd grade
I thought this was a cute book about a boy and his adventure in the middle of the night. The boy was friendless at the beginning of the story, but then he receives an invitation that takes him on an adventure that allows him to make friends by telling the story of his night. I also thought the illustrations were well done and I thought it helped capture the moments in the story.
K-2nd grade
I thought this was a cute book about a boy and his adventure in the middle of the night. The boy was friendless at the beginning of the story, but then he receives an invitation that takes him on an adventure that allows him to make friends by telling the story of his night. I also thought the illustrations were well done and I thought it helped capture the moments in the story.
April 3, 2021
A friendless little boy goes to bed at boarding school and finds an invitation. A map takes him into the night on his bicycle, where he makes friends with a tortoise, a bear, and other fantastic creatures. They share tea, sing, and dance, until the night ends and he heads back to his school and shares the story with his classmates. This book is near-wordless (there are only a few words on each page), so much of the story is left up to the reader and the illustrations, which are fantastic!
June 3, 2023
Book 64 of 200 ~ 2023
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
HOLY MOLY - the illustrations just blew me away...
But it was the story of this little friendless kid who winds up with an invitation that helps him feel like he has found new friends that tugged my heartstrings.
A gorgeous picture book for kids in more ways than one - I totally get the awesome talent of @danielmiyaresdoodles
And yes, i just had to show off my signed, doodled copy!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
HOLY MOLY - the illustrations just blew me away...
But it was the story of this little friendless kid who winds up with an invitation that helps him feel like he has found new friends that tugged my heartstrings.
A gorgeous picture book for kids in more ways than one - I totally get the awesome talent of @danielmiyaresdoodles
And yes, i just had to show off my signed, doodled copy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews