From School Library Journal
Grade 4 Up-Magical realism permeates Gonsalves's large acrylic paintings, and they are essential to the lyrical text. For "imagine a night when-you can hear a farmer play his fields to sleep," the artist depicts a man playing a fiddle on a porch in front of a field of sunflowers-but no, the flowers have human faces, leafy bodies, and green-gloved hands, and they are bowing their heads in sleep. A painting of children riding their bikes up a flight of stairs accompanies "imagine a night when you might find that gravity doesn't work quite as you expected." A girl walking in a church cloister suddenly looks over her shoulder and discovers that she's not alone, as the pointed church windows become hooded monks forming a procession. In the back of the book, each painting is repeated in miniature with its actual name. This is a fascinating foray into the imagination and a fine discussion starter for older children. For another look at things that are not what they seem, pair it with Guy Billout's Something's Not Quite Right (Godine, 2002).
Marianne Saccardi, Norwalk Community College, CTCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Rob Gonsalves grew up drawing images from his imagination, but the Surrealist movement, in particular the works of Remedios Varo and René Magritte, also influenced his work. After he graduated from college, Mr. Gonsalves worked as an architect, and as a painter of trompe l'oeil murals and theater sets. After receiving an enthusiastic response at the 1990 Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, he began painting full time, and his work continues to be highly sought after. His first picture book was
Imagine a Night, and he currently lives in rural Ontario, Canada.
Sarah L. Thomson's other books include
The Dragon's Son, which was named one of the best science fiction, fantasy, and horror books of 2001 by Voice of Youth Advocates;
Stars and Stripes; and
Imagine a Night. She lives in Maine.
