Before the World Wakes by Estelle Laure, illustrated by Paola Zakimi

 

Before the World Wakes by Estelle Laure,

illustrated by Paola Zakimi

Two Lions, 2022, 40 pages

My favorite time of day has always been early morning when no one else is awake and the world quietly brightens as I watch the sun's rays lengthening along the street outside. And that quiet, peaceful feeling has been expertly captured in this charming picture book about a sister and brother whose favorite time of day is not when it is light and bright outside as you might expect from kids wanting to be with their friends and doing all kinds of activities in school or just going out and about with their mom or even those tranquil evening moments quietly playing before bedtime.  

No indeed, Their favorite time of day is just before dusk when "everything is still gentle and quietish and full of other people's dreams and sleeping." Wrapping blankets around themselves, they silently slip out of the house and into a world just beginning to wake up, when the "stars say good morning at the same time they say good night..." as the moon pulls them home, and "...as night and day hold hands." It's a time when night and day are in perfect balance.   

And it is as if the world of nature is putting on a show just for these siblings, when trees whisper, snails dance, and birds begin to sing their birdsong. 

Before the World Wakes is such a beautiful book, written in soft language which perfectly expresses just how lyrical the dawn of a new day can be. And it is so nice to see sibling enjoying each others company, and sharing their secret morning explorations. But, it is really so secret? Lest young readers like mine be concerned that these children are out alone with no one keeping an eye out on them, astute readers will notice the figure in the window (see above) who is none other than mom. 

The watercolor, pencil, and gouache illustrations really bring home the idea of a quiet, peaceful world just waking up. The images are soft, done in a nature palette of soft pastel colors against which the sister and brother stand out in their striped pajamas and bright reddish hair.  

When I read this book to my young readers it generated all kinds of ideas and memories about early mornings, and I was surprised to find that many have been taken to the nearby park early-ish and felt the same kind of wonder that the siblings in this book experience, which makes me love mornings even more that I already did (which is exactly time time of day that I am writing this). 

What's your favorite time of day?

Thank you to Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing me with a copy of Before the World Wakes.

"The poetic text and charming pictures celebrate a special time and universal feelings" - Booklist

Meet the Author:

Estelle Laure is the author of six young adult novels, including This Raging Light, Mayhem, Remember Me, and the City of Villains series, and the picture book The Perfect Pet for You, illustrated by Amy Hevron. She lives with her family in New Mexico, where you can often find her walking the dogs and watching the sun rise before the world wakes. For more about Estelle, visit www.estellelaure.com or on Instagram: @estellelaurewrites

Meet the Illustrator: 

Paola Zakimi is the illustrator of Secrets I Know by Kallie George, Teddy & Co. by Cynthia Voigt, The Christmas Tree Who Loved Trains by Annie Silvestro, and Ruby’s Sword by Jacqueline Viessid. She is also a doll maker and fine artist and lives in Argentina. Her favorite part of the early morning is listening to the buzz of the bees while the sun comes out all bright and beautiful. You can learn more about her at www.paolazakimi.com or Instagram: @paolazakimi