Susan Stephenson is an Australian reader, writer and teacher who is passionate about children's literature and literacy. Her Book Chook blog Author, Mem Fox
Publisher: Omnibus, 1989
ISBN: 9781862910799
Author, Mem Fox
Publisher: Omnibus, 1989
ISBN: 9781862910799
Quite simply, Mem Fox is very, very good at what she does. What
she does, is speak to the hearts of children. And those who are
children at heart.
Fox's Night Noises was delightfully illustrated by Terry Denton and first published by Omnibus in association with Penguin, 1989. I love the fat old dog, Butch Aggie, who lives with elderly Lily Laceby. While Lily dreams of her past, Butch Aggie becomes increasingly alarmed by noises outside the cottage. Denton's picture of a dog on her rug before the fire, one eye open and one ear up, is perfect. Each page adds a clue as to Lily's dreams, a clue as to what's going on outside, and the main picture of Lily and her dog.
Fox is spare with her text, but never afraid to be lyrical. Her descriptions are carefully chosen to reflect her theme. So we read that Lily's "hair was as wispy as cobwebs in ceilings" and her "bones were as creaky as floorboards at midnight." I also love the tiny subtext of Lily's actual age (four-and-a-half on the inside? - you and me, both, Lily!)
Night Noises joins my list of great picture books by this talented author. It would make a great resource for children who are studying families, and a good lead-in to a special event involving grandparents. Some follow-up activities: kids might like to write a letter to their own grandparent; write a letter to Lily Laceby from Butch Aggie; research vocabulary related to noise; make a soundscape of their own night noises and record it.