Night Becomes Day

by Richard McGuire

The progress of time is illustrated by a sequence of objects and themes, including stream/river/ocean and street/highway/bridge

Genres: Picture Books

48 pages, Paperback

First published October 20, 1994

About the author

Richard McGuire is a regular contributor to the New Yorker magazine. He has written and illustrated both children's books and experimental comics. His work has appeared in The New York Times, McSweeney's, Le Monde and Libération. He has written and directed two omnibus feature films, designed and manufactured his own line of toys, and is also the founder and bass player of the post-punk band Liquid Liquid.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of two Richard McGuire picture-books that children's literature scholar Leonard S. Marcus mentioned, in his essay "Back to the Future: Retro picture books — déjà vu all over again?," which can be found in the January/February 2010 edition of The Horn Book Magazine, of picture-books harking back to the Constructivist style of the early twentieth century (the other was The Orange Book ), this boldly graphic title follows a series of transformations through the day, from dawn to dark. "Night becomes day / And day becomes bright," it opens, "Dream becomes good / And good becomes night," it closes, following a convoluted path of relationships from beginning to end.

A book I would recommend primarily for its intense illustrations - bright colors and stylized forms make this feel much more like a vintage title than something first published in 1994 - Night Becomes Day has a sort of surreal quality that is difficult to pin down. I found myself wondering, midway through, if the constant "becoming" to be found on every page could, in addition to being interpreted as a reference to transformation and/or growth ("Cloud becomes rain / And rain becomes tree"), also be seen as indicative of complementary pairs ("And peak becomes valley," etc). Whatever the case may be, I'm not sure that there is enough narrative interest here to hold the attention of young children, although the artwork is stunning enough to compensate at least partially.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This looks like a book from when I was young; I was surprised that it’s less than two decades old. It’s suitable for the very youngest child as the story is short, with not too many words on each page, and the illustrations are colorful and eyecatching. I think young kids will like seeing how one thing becomes the other and how it goes full circle; actually, quiet a few facts are taught about what can become what. Because of the way the “story” ends, and because of its quietness, it would make an excellent bedtime story.

I have it on my fiction shelf but in a way it’s a non-fiction book; at least its components are true/non-fiction.

3 ½ stars

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the retro look of the illustrations but wasn't super wowed by the overall book. It's one of those stories where there is nor much storyline but one thing leads to another (i.e., "night becomes day" or "mountain becomes valley") and it just got a bit tedious for me. I think it's mostly a platform for the illustrations.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of illustrator and toymaker and graphic novelist McGuire's sleek and cool and colorful illustrated books. He's a highly conceptual artist; maybe most illustrators are, but McGuire seems to want to teach you about art, about shapes and color and design, and so he impresses more than moves you. And whereas his The Orange Book works pretty well for (my) kids, (it's more fun) this one seems less for kids than all ages. Each image leads to another and makes a kind of dream logic narrative, something like If you Give a Pig a Pancake, but less fun, though its Modigliani-ish splashy color and style is impressive.

[Amanda Geske · Rating 4 out of 5]

“And food becomes wool
Wool becomes blanket
And blanket becomes warm.”

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stylish and handsome and useful as a bedtime read, as the transformations - peak to valley, paper to news, stream to sea, all eventually lead back to day becoming night. On the other hand there is not much intrinsically interesting about the pairings, we can see how a peak becomes a valley or a river a sea, but how exactly does smoke become wind? Feels a little adult whimsical.

[Slaa!!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strangely meditative! Really cool. And great illustrations.

[Preethi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually read this book in Feb 2018 , but don't want this to count as one of the books because of its size - way too small. and the content is alright.

[Kaylee Mercer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Night Becomes Day is a poetic book about changes. Many changes occur such as seasons, the difference between the ocean and a river, etc. However, this book could be confusing for some children in the way it is worded. Each place or thing becomes something else. Children could take this literally and misinterpret the figurative language. Cute book over all! I would use this book in the classroom to discuss night/day and changes throughout life.

[Elke Ursin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are just so cool! Great story too. Nice and simple for my 2 year old.

[Ava · Rating 2 out of 5]

with GJA

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like this would bore a child to tears