Night Driving
A first-time author and a first-time illustrator make a promising debut in a gentle, realistic portrayal of a father-son relationship. The baseball-capped narrator describes a car trip with his dad in which the two drive all night to get to the mountains for a camping trip. Listening to a baseball game on the radio eats up the miles for a while but once they get out of the station's range, the two must work together to keep each other awake by telling stories, singing cowboy songs and playing alphabet games. It's clear that they would enjoy each other's company at any time but the night driving awakens a sense of adventure and heightens the closeness between them. Peter McCarty's dramatic black-and-white pencil illustrations aptly depict scenes lit only by headlights and moonlight, echoing the intimate mood of the text. ©1996 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Illustrated by Peter McCarty
Wisconsin author
John Coy was born in Minneapolis but spent much of his childhood (1966-1977) in Eau Claire, where he graduated from high school. He now lives in Minneapolis.
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 4-8
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
Fathers
Historical Fiction
Nighttime
Travel
Vehicles and Transportation
Publisher:
Henry Holt
Publish Year: 1996
Pages: 32
ISBN: 0805029311
CCBC Location: Picture Book, Coy