Grandfather Twilight

All Ages

Birth - 12 months

by Barbara Helen Berger

Children will ask for this book over and over again.

Age: 3 Year-olds | Title: Grandfather Twilight | Author: Barbara Helen Berger | Publisher: Philomel Books

Children will ask for this book over and over again.

Why we chose this book

Barbara Berger's Grandfather Twilight is a modern fairy tale about how the night begins and where the moon rises from. The elegant pictures tell the story more than the words, as some pages have no words at all. The fine details bring out a magical quality to the artwork, as Father Twilight and the pearl appear to glow. The sentences are simple and physically separate from the pictures, so as not to take away from them.

Perfect for bedtime, the story about a pearl gradually morphing into the moon while Father Twilight takes his evening stroll will create a sleepy, content mood to send your little one off to dreamland. Your child will likely want to read this book over and over so they can enjoy the beautiful pictures. Like any fairy tale, the story will engage your child's imagination and inspire wonder.

I first read this story to my niece Emily when she was three and a half, and she was completely taken with the pictures. She would come to bed each night with this book in tow until she had the story memorized. We would read it together, or she would simply recite it to me so I could fully enjoy the pictures as well.

--Audra

Author's comments

Over the years, many people have told me about the peaceful hush that comes over a child, even a roomful of children, with the reading of Grandfather Twilight. When I created the book, I could only hope that something of the serenity I feel, myself, at twilight might come through the words and art. But I never dreamed that so many children would truly love it as they do, ask for it over and over again, find solace for fears of the dark and sometimes, even for the loss of a parent or grandparent. I never dreamed that Grandfather Twilight would have such a wonderful long life as a book, nor such a wide reach among children and adults alike, from the youngest to the oldest. To this day, it seems a miracle to me.

--Barbara Berger