By Marlene Droop
Translated from the German by Alisha Niehaus Berger
U.S. edition: NorthSouth, 2026 32 pages
978-0-7358-4630-2
Ages 4-8
This offbeat and quietly tender picture book about star-gazing friends is a nocturnal ode to expectations and acceptance. “Usually Giraffe drives a convertible. But tonight, the friends are taking Turtle’s van.” Making their way out of the busy city toward the dark countryside, hopes are high for celestial sightings. It begins to rain, and Giraffe’s protruding head gets wet (no sunroof in the van). Turtle snacks on jars of jam, Sheep knits, and Crocodile contentedly looks out the window. After a short snooze, the rain passes but so has the time. Instead of stars, the friends have a peaceful moment together taking in the sunrise. As they pile back into Turtle’s van to head back to the city, Giraffe asks, “Same time, next week?”. With intimacy and aplomb, the answer is affirmative (with a modest suggestion to leave a smidge earlier). Translated from the German, this anticlimactic adventure offers visual humor and honest observations.