Reviews

The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer

mdevlin923's review

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3.0

A group of wild animals break into a fair during the night and enjoy the rides, the games, and the food.

The illustrations are bright and vibrant and make you feel like you are there with the animals. It's wordless, so a good choice for parents to read with their child one-on-one to get the most out of it.

mehsi's review against another edition

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5.0

Een magisch mooi boek over een kermis en wat er 's nachts, als de mensen weg zijn, als bezoeker is. De dieren in het bos~ Ja! Die willen ook wel een feestje. Het boek is helemaal zonder woorden maar dat is juist perfect want zo kun je optimaal genieten van de prachtige illustraties (die ik echt in een print moet hebben voor in huis) en zien wat de dieren zoal doen! Van in het schommelschip tot lekker eten tot in de draaimolen, elk dier doet lekker mee en ik genoot 100% van elk stuk! Prachtig! En dan dat einde, daar moest ik wel even om lachen.
Aanrader!!!!

misspippireads's review

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4.0

A fun wordless book about forest animals visiting the fair at night. The story is set up in panels (mostly large ones).

Reviewed from a library copy.

anniejaneb's review

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5.0

One of the most beautiful wordless books I’ve seen. Really cute.

coinchantal's review

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3.0

This book has some beautiful, colorful waterdrawings. I liked how the colors came alive. I do have to say, I missed the words in this story.

rdyourbookcase's review

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5.0

A beautiful wordless picture book with an imaginative storyline. The illustrations are fantastic. Kids will enjoy it!

barbarianlibarian's review

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2.0

no text, nice pictures, didn't love it

litagentsaritza's review

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5.0

This is a wordless picture book that perfectly conveys a story visually. I think it’s one of my favorite PBs I’ve read this year. To watch each of the animals have fun at the carnival then rush home when the sun goes up as the humans return, is just incredible. And the little wolf with his pet goldfish at the end? The absolute cutest!

rmkg's review

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Give yourself a gift and read this wordless picture book. Let the haunting illustrations help you imagine the Platonic ideal of a carnival--sizzling fat and sparkling sugar, happy laughter and twinkling music, and the lights, oh the lights--then go back to everyday life, calm, wistful, grateful for the beauty of the world.

mat_tobin's review

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5.0

***Reviewed for Books for Keeps***

There is always something liberating and exciting about wordless picturebooks. The gap between what is represented and the meaning-making process opens up just enough for readers to invite a richness of interpretation. Transforming Sterer’s narrative into a wordless tale, Di Giorgio, creator of the highly acclaimed Professional Crocodile, presents us with the story of a troupe of animals and their nighttime excursions into an empty fairground.

With a beautiful pairing of endpapers to open and close the narrative, the story begins with the arrival of a travelling funfair and ends with its departure. In the foreground, sheltered by the shadows of trees, is a small gathering of animals who seem concerned with other matters save for a curious bear cub intrigued by the arrival of humans and their contraptions. Like a slow-rolling camera, the dedication and title page reveal people erecting tents and rides in preparation for eventual attendees. More animals watch on. Why is it that we are positioned alongside these animals and not with our fellow humans? The answer comes when, at the end of the evening’s amusement, a lone attendant closes down the fair, locks the gates and heads for home. A gathering of animals tentatively approach.

With the help of a pair of crafty racoons, the funfair is suddenly brought to life. As if casting off their ‘wildness’ for one magical evening, the animals, now anthropomorphised, do everything the humans did earlier: buy popcorn, doughnuts, sweets and take part in the games and attractions, chase sugar-addled cubs and win huge cuddly versions of themselves. A young wolf cub, who looks slightly befuddled when it wins a goldfish, is particularly humorous, and a bearer of a poignant message for later.

As the evening continues, wild boar and wolves spin joyously in teacup rides, hares and deer rush around on roller-coasters. From carousels (animals riding animals comes across as delightfully funny) to chair-o-planes, big wheels to shooting galleries, the animals delight in the activities. There’s much for the observant reader to notice and an invitation for new stories to be discovered with repeated readings. With the arrival of dawn, the animals quickly shut down the rides, clean up their mess and leave just before the owner returns: the only sign of activity is a curious collection of nuts and seeds; the animal's payment for the night’s fun. As the animal guests return to the wild and their previous nature, a solitary wolf cub releases their bagged goldfish into a river that leads out into the sea.

This is a witty, wordless escapade. Di Giorgio perfectly captures the dizzy, bright joy of being at the funfair, exquisitely portrayed through the animals’ movement and expressions: a remarkable feat in and of itself. Children will love to return to the evening’s dreamy sense of mystery and fun, and enjoy spotting recurring animals and humorous moments that occur throughout. For me, it was a family of stoats laughing uncontrollably at a gurning wolf who has stuck its head through a wooden Sproftacchel. A book perfect for sharing.