A small girl lies awake while the rest of her family sleeps, listening to the sound of their breathing until a breeze calls her out of bed and up to the roof of her building. Looking out at the city and thinking about what lies beyond, “She looked up, breathed, closed her eyes . . . and slept.” Illustrator Jonathan Bean makes his first foray into writing with a picture book that is intimate in feel and expansive in scope as a child draws comfort from the wider world around her. The changing pace of his skillful narrative suggests both the unease of lying awake and the lull of the breeze the child finds so enticing. Soothing as a lullaby, Bean’s story is enriched by warm illustrations that offer engaging details of the child’s home and family, as well as tender reassurance in the presence of her mother, who has awoken and follows the girl, unnoticed, on her nighttime foray. Honor Book, 2008 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3–7)

On some nights, a snug bedroom is a hard place to fall asleep. On some nights, it's better to get away from slumbering, snoring family members and curl up alone with one's thoughts in the cool night air, under wide-open skies. In this charming bedtime fantasy, a sleepless city girl does just that, finding her surprising way to a serene rooftop version of a backyard campout.

With captivating ink-and-watercolor illustrations and a simple, lyrical text, newcomer Jonathan Bean has created a soothing bedtime story that is sure to charm children and parents alike.

At Night is the winner of the 2008 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Picture Books.