Night School

Description

An unusual school bus picks him up, and away he goes. He notices, however, that things are a bit odd at school, eerie and peculiar. They study stars and owls and werewolf howls. Around 4 a.m. Eddie begins to feel tired! When he asks when morning will come, the teacher sends the new kids to the office. When the principal says he'll keep them there forever, Eddie has had enough! He leads them down the stairs as they flee, with teachers in close pursuit. As they close in, Eddie calls out a loud, cheery "Good morning"-and stops his pursuers flat. Eddie is off. He runs the whole way home and straight to bed!

Loris Lesynski is an author, illustrator, poet and graphic designer. She has published three popular children's picture books: "Boy Soup or When Giant Caught Cold" (1996), "Ogre Fun" (1997), "Catmagic" (1998), and a riotous romp of poetry, "Dirty Dog Boogie" (1999). Loris spends a great deal of time working with children and educators all across North America. She lives north of Toronto.

Lesynski's humourous picture book is written in rhyming verse. She effectively uses various fonts to enhance meaning, and the rhymes and rhythms of the text are a delight to read aloud. Lesynski uses the verse form to dramatic effect, and on several occasions she builds tension just before turning the page! The text and illustrations are equally humourous. Her characteristic cartoon-like, watercolour and coloured-pencil drawings are energetic. Many intertextual connections are included in the comical illustrations. The Night School bus driver is Dracula, the principal is Frankenstein, and books on the teacher's desk include Goodnight Moon by Wise Brown, In the Night Kitchen by Sendak, Stormy Night by Lemieux, Silent Night by Granfield and yes, Night School by Lesynski. Other humourous events, signs, and words that play on the night theme are embedded in several illustrations. Highly Recommended.--Sylvia Pantaleo"Canadian Materials" (04/13/2001) The story's outrageous, silly humor, written in lively rhyme, finds great visual expression in Lesynski's detailed, joke-packed drawings. Read alone or aloud, this offers plenty of lighthearted fun.--Gillian Engberg"Booklist" (06/01/2001) The rhymes and rhythms of the text are a delight to read aloud... Highly Recommended.--Sylvia Pantaleo"Canadian Materials" (04/13/2001)