All of Dar Hosta’s books are enchanting, but this one is perhaps my personal favorite. With its soothing nighttime story and stunning graphics, it’s no wonder the book was the winner of the Teacher’s Choice Award in 2004.

The story itself is gorgeous enough for older readers, with or without the images; but Hosta’s art is, as ever, enchanting enough for all ages to fall in love with.

Hosta gives a friendly face and a neighborly voice to animals like crickets, spiders and bats—animals that normally may seem strange and scary to little ones. Hosta gives them a calm sort of beauty, and a definite place in our world that we start to feel a reverence for creatures we may have once feared.

The many aspects of night that also may at first seem fearsome are explored, explained, and turned around so that instead of spooky, they are sparkling. With animals like the owl explaining why they love the night so much—“I love the night… It is so superbly superb for getting some wind under the wings”—the mysteries of the forest and the darkness are broken down into elements of wonder, comforting us while retaining just enough mystery to give us good dreams.

The book ends on such a sweet note I had a tear come to my eye when I first read it to my daughter. The moon smiles down at the Earth “with a great and growing love,” and sings a lullaby for all of the creatures on the planet. It’s a perfectly soothing, magical end to a day and beginning to sweet dreams.

This book is also a perfect prelude to a night walk. If your little one has nighttime fears or jumps at the sound of an owl or the crickets, try reading I Love The Night and then taking a nighttime walk. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes, bring flashlights, and be prepared to answer questions about all things night! Relate stories of your own youthful fears and how you overcame them to help your child feel more at ease with his or her fears.

Another great activity that goes with this book is creating your own list of why you love the night. Have toddlers and preschoolers draw or paint pictures of their answers. Older kids can create art and accompany it with their own nighttime adventure stories or poems. Combine siblings’ stories for a book of nighttime treasures that makes for a great bedtime story.