The Dark Was Done
The Dark Was Done
Written & Illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Published by Beach Lane Books / Simon & Schuster, 2022
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Awards
Minnesota Book Awards Finalist, 2023
Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award, 2024
Reviews
"Stringer’s watercolor illustrations beautifully capture a world bathed in both stark light and soft darkness, and her lyrical text, with a storyteller’s cadence, calls out for repeated readings." The Horn Book
“ The visual pop between the velvety blue-black darkness and the canary yellow of daytime is one of the finer aspects of this gentle lesson in facing fears. Child readers with their own qualms about nighttime may find comfort in a Dark that hugs, smiles, and enfolds owls, stars, and flowers.” Kirkus
“… the most persuasive argument is made by Stringer’s vivid watercolor illustrations. The swaths of lemon yellow and marigold that initially seem cheerful start to feel faintly oppressive as daytime dominates, especially in contrast to the pockets of starry indigo that appear when characters express their yearning for the Dark. Once the self-exiled Dark returns, bathing the pages in a beautiful deep blue, we welcome it as gratefully as the boy does.” New York Times
“Written and beautifully illustrated by Lauren Stringer in watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil, THE DARK WAS DONE is a gorgeous invitation to welcome the gifts of the night.” ReaderKidz
“A way to teach little ones about overcoming the fear of the dark and finding wonder in the nighttime.” Twin Cities.Com - Pioneer Press