Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin (9781339023373)

This sequel to Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden is all about loving the dark. In Garden Glen, everyone fought back against the dark with lanterns and lights, hiding in their homes after dark. Millie’s house was the only one left dark since she knew there were special things that only come out in the dark. But even Millie was missing those things due to the brightness of the rest of the town. So, she set out to rediscover the dark and invite it into her garden. Millie plants a moon garden and bakes moon pies, creating just the right space for the creatures of the night to come. When others in Garden Glen smell the moon garden, they come to visit too, but Millie insists that they leave their lanterns behind and be brave. 

Marvelously peculiar and winsome, this picture book shows darkness as a mythical creature that is both strange and marvelously huggable. There is beauty in this garden and space that Millie creates, a lovely stand up to authority and a straight-forward take on light pollution and what is lost. 

Sure to have children wanting to explore their own dark spaces, this picture book is a delicious night-filled read. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Scholastic.