Scared of the Dark? It’s Really Scared of You
Author: Peter Vegas
Illustrator: Benjamin Chaud
Chronicle Books
Ages: 3 to 5
Did you know the dark likes black licorice and Black Forest cake?
Scared of the Dark? It’s Really Scared of You is a charming little story that helps young children face their fear of the dark, by personifying darkness, and giving it a personality and emotions that children can relate to. The personification is thorough; giving the dark characteristics that are not only humorous but are of interest to children in the target age range. For example: Did you know the dark likes black licorice and Black Forest cake?
The story also plays on the dark as an “outsider” or “other” character, pointing out that while children generally draw pictures of the Sun, it is rare to see a child draw darkness (perhaps a good thing no?). The metaphor should not not be lost on Parents who can use this opportunity as a teaching moment to underscore that different is not necessarily bad.
We’ve all experienced situations where we are the different one in the room (and least most of us have) and have been excluded unjustly. Maybe the dark gets a bad rap?
Combined with playful and adorable illustrations, the story is about “Darkness” being afraid of “the light” and how it hides when it comes out, just as children might do when they are scared of the dark. This silly, but thoughtful book helps shift the paradigm on how young children deal with natural fears (nighttime abduction, monsters, etc.) by making a personal connection with readers, which in turn can make darkness more relatable and less scary for them.
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More books for this Age Group can be found here.
My thanks to Chronicle Books for providing a Review Copy of this book. All opinions provided herein are my own.
Please, leave comments! I love a HEALTHY exchange of ideas. After all, critical thinking is essential to life.
Ashley Borrego–Contributor
Ashley is a teacher, a photographer, crafter, and a small business owner. She lives in Hawaii with her husband, two young children, 170lb Great Dane, and 2 cats. She received her Masters degree in Early Childhood Special Education from University of Maryland, and is pursuing a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. You can checkout her business here.
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