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Night Animals
Something's out there in the dark!
First Possum hears it. Then Skunk. Then Wolf comes running."What could it possibly be?" asks Bat.
"Night Animals!" the animals declare.
"But you are night animals," Bat informs this not-so-smart crew.
Children will love the oh-so-funny animals in this twist on a cozy bedtime book.
First Possum hears it. Then Skunk. Then Wolf comes running."What could it possibly be?" asks Bat.
"Night Animals!" the animals declare.
"But you are night animals," Bat informs this not-so-smart crew.
Children will love the oh-so-funny animals in this twist on a cozy bedtime book.
34 pages, Hardcover
First published July 14, 2015
9 people are currently reading
611 people want to read
About the author
Gianna Marino
34Ìýbooks40ÌýfollowersGianna Marino was born in San Francisco and spent her early years galloping horses through Golden Gate Park. Her explorations expanded after graduating from high school and in order to afford her many journeys, Gianna had several jobs at once: apprenticing a muralist, a jewelry designer, a product designer and driving horse carriages through the park. Gianna explored many corners of the world, from Africa and Asia, to the South Pacific and Europe, to crewing on sailboats in the high seas. At work and school, she became known as “Boomerangâ€�.
Gianna finally landed a full-time freelance gig designing toys for children, but after several years in a corporate box with no windows, she left for good and began writing and illustrating books for children.
Though she still wanders the world, Gianna now lives in Northern California and works full-time writing and illustrating.
Gianna finally landed a full-time freelance gig designing toys for children, but after several years in a corporate box with no windows, she left for good and began writing and illustrating books for children.
Though she still wanders the world, Gianna now lives in Northern California and works full-time writing and illustrating.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
July 29, 2017
Life becomes difficult to enjoy when you don't know who you are and what are your strengths!
Night Animals would have been ruling the world, only if they acknowledged that THEY are night animals.
Night Animals would have been ruling the world, only if they acknowledged that THEY are night animals.
August 18, 2015
Night Animals absolutely cracked me up!
The idea that animals of the night could be scared of other creatures in the night was not only hilarious, but filled with easy messages for kids to see, learn, and laugh at. :) Possum had some of the best lines. But the bear hugging the wolf was my favorite picture. Haha...Made me giggle. These big, clear, dark pages show just how dark the dark can be and what or who can be in the shadows.
We all get scared. Even bears, skunks, and bats.
Recommended read. Turn on a light and check this one out!
March 3, 2017
I wasn't a big fan of this. Thought it was kind of weird. That being said, the children I read it to were into it, and one of the teachers of a class I read it to asked for the name of it again after I was done. It's really great if you do a good job of using a scared voice and tense body language.
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November 15, 2015Hahahahaha. Also, that possum character!
December 24, 2019
A series of animals, from a skunk to a bear, express fear at the terrifying night animals lurking in the darkness. It falls to the local bat to inform them that they are night animals themselves, and have nothing to be frightened of. Then some other creatures - human campers! - appear on the scene, and all bets are off...
An amusing premise is paired with gorgeous artwork in Night Animals, which is only the second picture-book I have read from talented author/illustrator Gianna Marino, following upon her recent . Judging by these two titles alone, she is a picture-book creator par excellence! I can see this one making for an excellent read-aloud selection at story-time, given the dialogue between the various night animals, and the visually arresting illustrations, done in lighter shades of gouache paint on deep black paper. Recommended to all young animal lovers, as well as to any child still a little afraid of the dark.
An amusing premise is paired with gorgeous artwork in Night Animals, which is only the second picture-book I have read from talented author/illustrator Gianna Marino, following upon her recent . Judging by these two titles alone, she is a picture-book creator par excellence! I can see this one making for an excellent read-aloud selection at story-time, given the dialogue between the various night animals, and the visually arresting illustrations, done in lighter shades of gouache paint on deep black paper. Recommended to all young animal lovers, as well as to any child still a little afraid of the dark.
July 12, 2015
This book is adorable and hilarious! I am a big fan of Gianna Marino's illustration style, and I think her stories and animal characters are always charming, and the night animals in this story are no exception. I can see kids giggling their way through this book, especially at the opossum who plays dead each time it's scared. Night animals being scared of all the other night animals - it's a recipe for laughter. I can't wait to share this one with kids! I also appreciate the end papers which identify each of the animal characters (fruit bat, opossum, skunk, gray wolf, grizzly bear, and great horned owl) and gives their basic info and a few fun facts tying into the non-fiction element of the title.
July 3, 2015
This funny, wonderfully designed and illustrated story about frightened nocturnal critters is a great one to share with children who have a fear of the dark.
October 17, 2024
A bunch of animals who are out at night are terrified of the possibility of encountering "night animals." With some help, they figure out why this doesn't quite make sense (would that all who hold deeply illogical beliefs could so readily respond to reason). The plotline is slim, to say the least, but the adorable illustrations more than make up for this. I particularly like the possum (who is pictured on the cover).
August 13, 2015
The opossum in this picture book about night animals is so funny! While all the other night animals are afraid of noises made by night animals (they don't seem to get that they ARE night animals, until the bat points it out), the opossum decides to play dead, of course. But what were the night animals afraid of? The children camping out!
August 5, 2015
This animal is a cute story, but doesn't convince me why the night animals thought they should be afraid in the first place. The ending with the children and animals both running from each other is funny. I liked it only because I'm looking for more books with nocturnal animals, and it does identify some of those. But it didn't quite come together as I had hoped.
August 19, 2015
I loved Possum. Poor little guy.
I laughed out loud several times.
I laughed out loud several times.
September 22, 2018
Fun and funny. Love the illustrations.
January 19, 2016
Marino, G. (2015). Night animals. New York, NY: The Penguin Group
Review #1
Whitehurt, L.S. (2015, May 1). [Review of Night animals by G. Marino]. (School Library Journal, vol 61, issue 5, p88). Retrieved by NoveList Plus Database.
Whitehurt talks about how great the cover design is and how that will grab kids' attention. The story starts out with a possum hiding in the words afraid of night animals. Possum passes along this fear to other night animals. They all discover that they are in fact night animals too. Whitehurst also found the illustrations to be humorous. She mentions that the inside cover had facts about animals, but that this would present processing challenge for libraries. She says this is a great book for students that are afraid of the dark and it will help them process a lighter side of fear.
Review #2
Warren, D. (2015, April 20) [Review of Night animals by G. Marino]. (Publishers Weekly, vol 262, issue 16, p). Retrieved by NoveList Plus Database.
Warren says that Night Animals is funny and fast paced. The idea of scary creatures who are also scared is good for laughs. All of the animals are scared and hiding from nigh animals, but then there is a funny twist when they encounter the scariest creatures that are hiding in a tent. The visuals are polished and detailed.
My Review:
The story is cute and funny. I think kids would find this book pretty humorous as well as gain an understanding of what animals are nocturnal. They will also gain an understanding that animals can be scared of other creatures too, including us. I love the illustrations as well as the dialogue bubbles.
Review #1
Whitehurt, L.S. (2015, May 1). [Review of Night animals by G. Marino]. (School Library Journal, vol 61, issue 5, p88). Retrieved by NoveList Plus Database.
Whitehurt talks about how great the cover design is and how that will grab kids' attention. The story starts out with a possum hiding in the words afraid of night animals. Possum passes along this fear to other night animals. They all discover that they are in fact night animals too. Whitehurst also found the illustrations to be humorous. She mentions that the inside cover had facts about animals, but that this would present processing challenge for libraries. She says this is a great book for students that are afraid of the dark and it will help them process a lighter side of fear.
Review #2
Warren, D. (2015, April 20) [Review of Night animals by G. Marino]. (Publishers Weekly, vol 262, issue 16, p). Retrieved by NoveList Plus Database.
Warren says that Night Animals is funny and fast paced. The idea of scary creatures who are also scared is good for laughs. All of the animals are scared and hiding from nigh animals, but then there is a funny twist when they encounter the scariest creatures that are hiding in a tent. The visuals are polished and detailed.
My Review:
The story is cute and funny. I think kids would find this book pretty humorous as well as gain an understanding of what animals are nocturnal. They will also gain an understanding that animals can be scared of other creatures too, including us. I love the illustrations as well as the dialogue bubbles.
April 18, 2022
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Hello, friends! Our book today is Night Animals by Gianna Marino, a humorous romp with some nervous nocturnal creatures.
A skunk finds a possum hiding inside a hollow tree, and asks him what is the matter. The possum replies that he is hiding from the scary night animals! Skunk gets spooked and joins him, and they cower as they hear the telltale howl of a wolf� only to find that the wolf is scared of the night animals too! Indeed, so is the giant bear! It takes a clever bat to point out to them that they are, in fact, night animals themselves. Oh! But wait� what manner of creature hides in that green tent�?
This was a very silly and ultimately entertaining story with some great humor. The dialogue has a nice slow build that whips the animals into a frenzy before the comedic reveal, and it was fun to read aloud. The visual gags are fun too, including skunk’s stench and possum playing dead. The art is very interesting, using detailed illustrations of the animals over black backgrounds to create a spooky, but not scary, effect. The length was good, and JJ really enjoyed it, so we will definitely call this one Baby Bookworm approved!
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January 7, 2019
That possum...this book was cute, the illustrations lovely. A very simple and to the point story teaching children that even big critters (people) are afraid of the dark or the unknown and it helps when you have friends to help you through it--especially when you realize you all have something in common, in this case, being night animals. That possum though...
March 10, 2018
3/10/2018 ~~ I read this originally in January 2016 - probably because it was mentioned on an end-of-year list. This week I had the pleasure of reading it with children (K-3rd), because it is on the list of nominees for the Young Hoosiers in the Picture Book category.
Though there are few words, the illustrations offer lots to enjoy. I loved the kiddos' reactions to the yellow clouds of skunk spray and the way the skunk was carrying around the possum by it's tail. I adjusted my star rating from 4 to 5 after watching students' reactions.
Though there are few words, the illustrations offer lots to enjoy. I loved the kiddos' reactions to the yellow clouds of skunk spray and the way the skunk was carrying around the possum by it's tail. I adjusted my star rating from 4 to 5 after watching students' reactions.
October 10, 2016
A series of animals try to hide from something coming after them - the Night Animals - until it's pointed out that they are night animals. However, then they run into the scariest animal of all: children! Yipes! Runnnnnn!
I'm always telling little kids that they are the scariest thing out there - especially at Halloween. Might be able to use it in a Halloween storytime. The illustrations are nice and big and bold to show up in a group situation.
I'm always telling little kids that they are the scariest thing out there - especially at Halloween. Might be able to use it in a Halloween storytime. The illustrations are nice and big and bold to show up in a group situation.
August 21, 2015
Not only is this super fun to read aloud, but it will make you laugh and help young children identify night animals without them even realizing it! The story also tackles nighttime fears, as so many kids are afraid of the dark and what lies within. They will laugh in the fear's face shown through the eyes of hilarious animals.
November 18, 2016
What a great book! I bought this during a Scholastic book fair without previewing it -- which is always a risk. Mario has written and illustrated a fiction book, but it has a message to teach kids about nocturnal animals and about some of their characteristics. My daughter is 5 years old and she can read most of the book.
August 1, 2015
A skittish possum, skunk, wolf, bear are afraid of "night animals" until a no nonsense bat sets them straight. Could be a fun read out with all the dialogue and big illustrations that could show well across the room, maybe even with a flashlight for dramatic effect. :)
August 17, 2015
This book is absolutely adorable. The perfect book for reading aloud at a story time for younger listeners. The perfect bedtime book to remind all soon to be sleepers that they are brave. A wonderful read aloud for any classroom to appreciate how clever and beautiful picture books can be.
August 20, 2016
Pair this with Pat Hutchins's Shrinking Mouse, Possum is hiding from the night animals. Soon all of his animal friends are hiding from the night animals. Who are they really hiding from? Young children will enjoy being wiser than the animals in the story.
April 29, 2016
This would be really fun to read out loud! It would be good for preschool storytime and younger elementary school students.
November 24, 2015
Hilarious!
March 18, 2016
The illustrations are great, and the story is very cute. Poor night animals don't even know they're night animals! I love the panel after the bat tells them that they ARE night animals - ohhhhhhh!
November 12, 2016
I got to be the skunk in a readers theater adaptation of this at the 2016 ILF Conference. So fun! Happy it's a YHBA nominee for 2017-18!
March 28, 2018
Cute and funny.
November 20, 2020
Read for illustrations. Basic, simple story.
Maybe read this one before you start some research about nocturnal creatures??
Maybe read this one before you start some research about nocturnal creatures??
August 27, 2022
How cute was this book?!! My favorite was the opossum! When the skunk sprays because he got scared and it made the opossum fall over and pretend to be dead. Then they carried him all over because he was still pretending to be dead. So funny and I loved the illustrations.
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December 5, 2019Text-to Teaching Connection:
This book is so cute! I have read a couple books by Gianna Marino and they all have been hits for me! I remember going to the zoo rather recently and reading the sign for the tiger that we very rarely see. The information mentioned that tigers are mostly nocturnal and I remember going "ohhhhhh. I NEVER knew that! Wow." I felt like I should have known that. This would be a great introduction for smaller children when discussing nocturnal animals or animals with "odd" sleeping behaviors. Do sharks and whales sleep? What other animals are nocturnal? Where do animals sleep during the day? How can they sleep if the world is so noisy?
This book is so cute! I have read a couple books by Gianna Marino and they all have been hits for me! I remember going to the zoo rather recently and reading the sign for the tiger that we very rarely see. The information mentioned that tigers are mostly nocturnal and I remember going "ohhhhhh. I NEVER knew that! Wow." I felt like I should have known that. This would be a great introduction for smaller children when discussing nocturnal animals or animals with "odd" sleeping behaviors. Do sharks and whales sleep? What other animals are nocturnal? Where do animals sleep during the day? How can they sleep if the world is so noisy?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 285 reviews
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