Handa's Noisy Night

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Eileen Browne's hotly anticipated sequel to Handa's Surprise is a warm, funny story about night time fears with a cast of nocturnal animalsWhen Handa has a sleepover with her friend Akeyo, the girls are allowed to spend the night in a little hut near the house. They're excited to be on their own, but as they get ready for bed, Handa feels more and more nervous. She keeps hearing things - strange snorts, chitter chattering, a big thud. Akeyo says it's only her noisy family, but on the opposite page the reader sees the nocturnal animals who are really making the noise - and while some of them are familiar, others are very peculiar-looking indeed!With rich, night-time illustrations, sound effects, and plenty of curious animals, Handa's Noisy Night demands to be read aloud and shared - whether in the classroom or tucked up in bed at home.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Kirkus Book Review

Handa spends the night at her friend Akeyo's house and hears sounds throughout the night. Handa and Akeyo, children of the Luo people of Kenya, are excited to sleep in the hut (evidently an outbuilding--it is unclear what kind of structure the main house is). Once inside, they lay out their mats, have a snack, and play games. Meanwhile, all sorts of sounds reach them from outside the hut. When Handa hears snorting, Akeyo says it's just her father laughing, but readers see a view of a pig outside. When Handa hears chattering, Akeyo says the grown-ups are talking, but the illustration shows a group of bat-eared foxes outside. The noises and explanations continue, with each image of the children inside facing a view of an animal outside, as the two get ready for bed and lie down to sleep. In the morning, when Akeyo accuses her family of being noisy and they say they were quiet as mice, the two friends look out at readers as they ask, "So who was making the noise?" Handa and Akeyo are sympathetic protagonists, and the vividly illustrated creatures of the night will intrigue child readers. The persistent comparison of Akeyo's family members to animals, however, is both ludicrous--these children have presumably heard these sounds all their lives and must know what they are--and somewhat unsettling, particularly from the perspective of a European author/illustrator. The page turns and layouts are disappointingly predictable and fail to create a suspenseful, dramatic story rhythm. This book's few strengths are sadly underutilized. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.