Lights Out

by Angela Shelf Medearis

At bedtime, a young girl enjoys looking out her window and then creates a puppet show with shadows on the wall.

Genres: Childrens

32 pages, Library Binding

First published April 1, 2004

Reviews

[Cara Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book's purple-toned color palette and imaginative way of re-envisioning nighttime as a time to explore and then fall asleep. This book would pair nicely with Cooper's Max and the Tag-along Moon.

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mommy's review from 12/14/11 -


I don't know why the description I read about this book reads as if these "Just for You!" books are for any child. They're not. They're for "children of color". Read: black kids. I think I should write a damn book just for white kids. Or ____ kids. Or _____ kids. See how people like that.
Honestly, had I read that beforehand I wouldn't have read the book in the first place. That doesn't sit well with me. I think I'm justified in assuming if the author and/or illustrator of this book came across a book I, or someone else, wrote, that was "Just for white Kids!" he/she/they'd be pretty offended. Well, I'm offended.
As it is I'm eternally thankful I didn't buy this. I borrowed it from the library and there it will be returned.
Just for the record, what I've said above had no bearing on my rating or what I'll say further. Normally it would have a chance of altering these two things but my rating was already two stars so I decided to keep it as is.
The book is okay, that's it. The illustrations are nice, a lot of sleepy blue hues. Good for bedtime and the story itself works for this time of day also.
The "activities" at the end are a joke. If this is a "Level Reader" than one can assume any child this is targeting is going to be at least five years old, generally. What five year old is going to want to sit there and name what they can see out of their window? They can do that on their own. That's not a damn activity. Name some words that rhyme with 'night'. Yes, thank you, because children need you to get them to do that.
I find it confusing that these are the sorts of "activities" the books cover tries to suck readers in with.

**I'll make sure to never buy any book that is in this "Just for You!" series or by this author or by this illustrator. The same way I wouldn't give my money to any author with a series solely for one race. I thought we were supposed to be moving beyond all of this "only for you", "only for me" bullshit?
I'm thrilled that I found this out before plopping down any of my hard earned dollars on these piles of shit.

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know why the other description I read about this book reads as if these Just for You! books are only for "children of color". Honestly, had I read that beforehand I wouldn't have read the book in the first place. That doesn't sit well with me. I think I'm justified in assuming if the author and/or illustrator of this book came across a book I, or someone else, wrote, that was "Just for white Kids!" he/she/they'd be pretty offended. Well, I'm offended.
As it is I'm eternally thankful I didn't buy this. I borrowed it from the library and there it will be returned.
Just for the record, what I've said above had no bearing on my rating or what I'll say further. Normally it would have a chance of altering these two things but my rating was already two stars so I decided to keep it as is.
The book is okay, that's it. The illustrations are nice, a lot of sleepy blue hues. Good for bedtime and the story itself works for this time of day also.
The "activities" at the end are a joke. If this is a "Level Reader" than one can assume any child this is targeting is going to be at least five years old, generally. What five year old is going to want to sit there and name what they can see out of their window? They can do that on their own. That's not a damn activity. Name some words that rhyme with 'night'. Yes, thank you, because children need you to get them to do that.
I find it confusing that these are the sorts of "activities" the books cover tries to suck readers in with.

**I'll make sure to never buy any book that is in this "Just for You!" series or by this author or by this illustrator. The same way I wouldn't give my money to any author with a series solely for one race. I thought we were supposed to be moving beyond all of this "only for you", "only for me" bullshit?

[Breana Vining · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once tucked in at night, you would think children drift right off to sleep-not the little girl in this book. She gets up and looks out of her window and wishes different things. By the time her farther comes back to check on her, it is then when she is fast asleep.

[Jailene Soto · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little girl would much rather look outside at the city lights, stars, and moon than go to sleep when shes tucked in. She makes a shadow puppet show with her hands. Eventually she gets sleepy & falls asleep peacefully. Perhaps I could read this before nap time. (pre-k)