Night Cars

by Teddy Jam, Eric Beddows

Published: August 2000
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Hardcover
ISBN: 9780888994134

Synopsis of Night Cars

It's late night in the city. From his father's shoulder, a sleepless baby watches the snow drift down from the sky onto the busy street below. What are all those noises? What are all those lights? His tired but patient father explains everything, from the bustle of taxis swishing through the slush to the grinding and slamming of the early-morning garbage trucks. Teddy Jam's lyrical prose and Eric Beddows's detailed illustrations cast Night Cars in that magical light between sleep and waking. A warm and witty tale for a cold winter's night.

Publishers Weekly

Bright lights, big city--and a wakeful baby. In this tale, a pajama-clad tot keeps his father up all night long watching the flow of city life on the street below their window. They see snowplows and fire trucks, taxis, dogs and garbage men. Although the cadence of Jam's rhythmic text falters in a couple of places, for the most part it flows smoothly, making the story especially suitable for reading aloud. Beddows's atmospheric drawings are at times reminiscent of Edward Hopper's works, and his use of muted colors give the pages an appealing nostalgic look. It's an agreeable first book, one that should hold special attraction for city kids. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)