The Light Inside

by Dan Misdea, Dan Misdea (Illustrator)

Overview

How far would you go to find your very best toy if it went missing? Join a timid jack-o'-lantern on an adventure through an eerie forest in this sweet and quirky wordless picture book!

Nighttime can be scary, especially when you don’t know what might be lurking in the dark. So this little jack-o'-lantern always keeps its favorite toy close by for comfort. But when a huge gust of wind separates them one day, the jack-o'-lantern must gather up bravery and set off on a journey—just as nighttime draws closer—to get its friend back.

Dan Misdea’s eye-catching artwork and charming story will remind readers that they can overcome most fears by trusting in themselves and finding the courage that lives inside their heart.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593521625
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	08/08/2023
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	5.75(w) x 5.75(h) x 0.37(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Dan Misdea (he/him) is a cartoonist and illustrator based in New Jersey. His cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, Air Mail, Narrative, Reader’s Digest, Weekly Humorist, and elsewhere. The Light Inside is his first children's book.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for THE LIGHT INSIDE:

★"Crisp line drawings and striking, moody gray tones lend a satisfying frisson of eeriness to the dramatic stakes. Centering a reluctant but persevering protagonist facing their nightmares, it’s a portrait of empathy, independence, and bravery that champions the literal and figurative light within."—Publisher's Weekly, starred review


★"Sparse, deceptively simple illustrations tell the full story without a single word—the protagonist, tiny on the page, has a remarkable range of expressions on their little pumpkin head that captivate and evoke sympathy from the first page."—BCCB, starred review


"Misdea’s narrative can be read as a child’s dream or a hero’s fulsome adventure...this debut’s round-edged panels compress zigzagging emotions into an adroitly constructed tale using classic folkloric tropes...Appealing, for Halloween or anytime."—Kirkus Reviews


"This wordless Halloween adventure plays out in cleanly rendered panel illustrations...the art's soft palette and comforting round shapes signal to young readers and listeners that they needn't be [scared]."—Horn Book


"A beautifully illustrated wordless picture book about courage and helping others even when trying to conquer our own fears."—KidsBookShelf


"Misdea’s artwork makes readers empathize with the creatures, as he shows them feeling fear, loneliness, and sadness. A cozy, quiet read for young children who love Halloween."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2023-05-24
Cartoonist Misdea constructs a quest replete with Halloween motifs in this nearly wordless, picture book–graphic novel hybrid.

Troubled at bedtime by imagined scary beings—a skeleton, a green-skinned witch, a ghost, and even more monsters under the bed—a personified little jack-o’-lantern finds comfort with a treasured toy mouse. Next day, a whooshing wind separates the protagonist from the toy, engendering a seek-and-follow adventure. The Jack-child spies a black, fanged cat with the pilfered toy and pursues the feline in a motorboat across a river where a giant octopus makes its home. Reaching land, the child reunites a skull with its bones. The protagonist tucks the skull under their arm like a football and runs toward the skeleton with it; comically, the skeleton repays the favor in kind, kicking the Jack-child into the air for a temporary flight with a squad of ghosts. Landing in a cauldron, our hero finds a witch bawling disconsolately over a flyer for a lost cat. Realizing that the missing feline is also the thief, the Jack-child’s off again to put things right. Misdea’s narrative can be read as a child’s dream or a hero’s fulsome adventure. Featuring a muted palette of charcoal gray with orange, yellow, and blue tints, this debut’s round-edged panels compress zigzagging emotions into an adroitly constructed tale using classic folkloric tropes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Appealing, for Halloween or anytime. (Picture book/graphic fiction hybrid. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews