Lights at Night

One of the Toronto Public Library’s First and Best of 2025

“A sleepy seasonal ode to the lights that shine after the sun goes down. . . . The lights, both natural and artificial, cast such warm glows that even in darker scenes, the shadows are never deep in Zeng’s peaceful, idyllic layouts. As she follows an East Asian–presenting human family and a furry four-footed one through the seasons, she tucks in grace notes, from foxlike swirls of sky mist to symbolic candles for Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah . . . Comforting and snoozy, just right for bedtime reading.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The human and fox families’ parallel lives are drawn in lush, darkly colored pages, with most spreads in an impressionistic style. . . . A lovely look at fox and human families as they enjoy the changing lights and nature. Perfect for cozy bedtime stories.” —School Library Journal

“Hilderman’s evocative first-person-plural prose and Zeng’s painterly digital artwork characterize the four seasons via emblematic ‘lights at night’ in this satisfying springtide-to-wintertide tour. . . . Highlighted with the help of page-filling art and poetic lines, night lights offer an ideal and innovative angle onto the pleasures of a northern clime’s seasons.” —Publishers Weekly

“Dream-like images with changing shades of color include realistic details, both natural and cultural. Children experience the wonder, but also the reassurance, of the four seasons and their special features, from football in autumn to storms in spring.” —Imaginary Elevators