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Daydreams for Night
Seven very short stories from acclaimed musician John Southworth will tweak your mind and peak your imagination. Meet the boy with grey hair, who spends his days on a cargo ship peeling potatoes, a strange man who keeps a Ferris wheel in his backyard, and a whale that lives in a manmade lake on the top of a faraway hill. Chock-full of details in their brevity, they beg to be mused over. Equally intriguing and unusual black and white illustrations by David Ouimet bright the strange, bizarre characters to life.
Like songs, these stories and the accompanying illustrations are evocative without limiting, and beg to be replayed.
Like songs, these stories and the accompanying illustrations are evocative without limiting, and beg to be replayed.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 19, 2018
THIS BOOK. It features chimney sweeps who collect watermelons, a librarian with a flower growing from his head, a strange man who keeps a Ferris wheel in his backyard, a boy made of wood, a boy with grey hair who peels potatoes in a cargo ship, creepy little girls, a secret lawn bowling society, and much more. I’m not making this up. It has the same feel of absurdity as works by Shaun Tan and Chris Van Allsburg. And if you look closer, the illustrations all connect to each other with recurring images and themes. It’s like the kind of books I am plotting to bring into the world myself. Look for it, ask for it, if you can track it down.
May 8, 2016
Beautifully weird, and just a touch eerie. A wonderful inspiration for imaginative writing. Fantastic illustrations.
March 5, 2022
Great illustrations.
June 15, 2024
Stories are 3, but the illustrations are a 5
February 13, 2015
Short stories, bizarre, illuminated texts
February 2, 2020
Very creative and unusual stories, that's for sure, with beautiful illustrations to go along with the stories. Each story runs only about a page, so you can read through them all in under an hour. I believe there is a great beauty in this "less is more" approach to a book of short stories that allows more time for creative exploration.
There is definitely great opportunity for extended fun with younger/fellow creative minds. Following each story, make a game of filling in details, creating back-stories, some variation of "what happened next", or any other fun activity you can think of.
Take extra time admiring the artwork as well, or create some of your own based on the stories and/or any of the activities I mentioned above. Flex those creative muscles to help make story time that much more enjoyable.
There is definitely great opportunity for extended fun with younger/fellow creative minds. Following each story, make a game of filling in details, creating back-stories, some variation of "what happened next", or any other fun activity you can think of.
Take extra time admiring the artwork as well, or create some of your own based on the stories and/or any of the activities I mentioned above. Flex those creative muscles to help make story time that much more enjoyable.
December 30, 2023
Very interesting collection of stories. On the first read, some seem like nonsense. But I like those types of short stories because you can then use your imagination to assign them meaning. The illustrations in the book are interesting.
Thinking as a teacher, some had interesting alliteration and some can be great to insight creative discussions of author’s purpose. I couldn’t help but think about how I can use some of them with my students.
Thinking as a teacher, some had interesting alliteration and some can be great to insight creative discussions of author’s purpose. I couldn’t help but think about how I can use some of them with my students.
May 13, 2024
This was SO weird and strange. I guess I could call it creepy, but the book is better described as weird. I loved the artwork! The artwork is why I purchased and read the book to begin with. The stories were alright. Though this is classified as a children's book, I would not read this to my son. There are more charming, lighthearted literature out there for kids. All 13 short stories were odd but entertaining enough for me to read through them in one sitting. Solid 3 stars.
May 15, 2018
“Daydreams for Night” by John Southworth and David Ouimet (Illustrator) had been hauntingly beautiful; it contained strange yet dreamlike illustrations accompanied with such unusual stories. These stories, indeed, were daydreams for night.
June 21, 2020
Gorgeous illustrations, they were haunting and wonderful to look at. I do wish that the short stories were drawn out a little more and had resolutions, the stories would end abruptly, and I would crave for me. I ponder to what happened next to these interesting characters. Nevertheless, delightful.
September 25, 2023
I bought this book impulsively because the illustrations were so odd and creepy looking and I loved the tag of “very short & very strange stories.” But only 2-3 were enjoyable, the others were just odd and not in a flattering way 😂 😂
July 29, 2017
Page or paragraph short stories with beautiful illustrations
Favorite: Harry, the Head Librarian
Favorite: Harry, the Head Librarian
July 31, 2018
Yes, odd stories but cute and the Illustrations are magnificent!
February 19, 2022
Was confused at times
November 20, 2023
Absolutely stunning illustrations! The stories were dreamlike and surreal. I adored it.
April 18, 2024
I didn't get anything from these short stories. If they were longer and had more character development, maybe I'd up my rating! But the illustrations were super cool.
August 5, 2024
3.5/5 stars
September 9, 2024
The illustrations are really cool and I will say the stories do just seem like silly pointless daydreams so it works.
April 7, 2015
Strange stories with out any character development, but the illustrations are AMAZING, they are worth viewing.
December 1, 2015
Reminiscent of The Chronicles of Harris Burdick, but the stories are less fulfilling. The pictures work well on their own with the potential to inspire young readers into creating their own stories.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews