Book of the Week: Nighttime Ninja

Nighttime Ninja by Babara DaCosta Illustrated by Ed Young

Published: 2012 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Reasons why I liked this book, and chose it as Book of the Week:

This book wasn’t what I expected it to be. It was surprising in so many ways!

I think there should be more books about ninjas!

I love the cover of this book! Readers know there’s a ninja hiding, but the cover still has an air of mystery about it. What is this ninja up to? Who is he waiting to pounce on?

In order for readers to get the full effect of the end papers and the title page they have to turn the book around, horizontally.

The end papers are decorated with ninjas scaling the walls.

Ninjas do their best work at midnight.

Certain pages are wordless. I love this effect in picture books. It allows the readers to rely solely on the illustrations to tell the story.

The book tells young readers some important skills a ninja must have: they must have good balance, they must be swift on their feet, they must be quiet, and above all things they must never get caught.

Ninja’s do their best work at night, when no one is around.

Ninja’s must know how to hide within the shadows.

I love how the illustrations are Asian inspired.

The little ninja in the book’s most important mission: stealing a midnight snack.

Unfortunately though, his mission is exposed when his mother flicks the light on.

Mother has a new, better mission in mind: a going to bed mission.

Mother is the ultimate ninja! Her mission was successful.

This is a story that is short and sweet.

The writing is simple, but strong. This is the kind of story that does not need a lot of words to make it great.

The illustrations are great, and appear to be in almost a collage style.