Hello, Dark
by Wai Mei Wong, Tamara Campeau (Illustrator)

4 out of 5 stars

A little boy manages his fear of the dark by pretending that the dark is a person he can befriend. He remembers that the dark does good things, like allowing wild animals such as owls and foxes to sneak around safely at night. The boy enjoys seeing the moon and stars shining in the dark. The boy and the dark listen to soothing music together. They play shadow games, and practice mindful breathing to stay calm. The boy sleeps peacefully, knowing that the dark is his friend.

This sweet book is perfect for any little children (or adults!) who are afraid of the dark. The story teaches ways to reframe your negative thoughts into something positive. I loved that it includes things like slow breathing and listening to music to help yourself stay calm.

It takes a lot of courage to face your fears. This book is sure to inspire young readers to use their imaginations in a new way- to imagine good and happy things, instead of imagining monsters in the dark.

I liked the pretty illustrations. It’s such a cute way to represent the dark as a shy fluffy shadow. Some of the page layouts and perspectives were laid out in extreme angles, looking down at the boy from above, and I didn’t always like that. I think they were trying to show the boy from the perspective of the tall dark, and then show the dark from the perspective of the short boy. However, it was well-done and polished. It’s just not my personal taste to have extreme angles in perspective like that.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.