Module 2: Smoky Night

Book Cover Image

Book Summary

Smoky Night looks at a night of rioting in Los Angeles from the perspective of a child. The riots are happening on the street below Daniel’s window. The story follows David as he tries to make sense of the looting as well as his family’s relationship with their neighbor Mrs. Kim. After having to evacuate their building due to fire, Daniel’s family and Mrs. Kim are able to overcome their differences.

Written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by David Diaz

APA Reference of Book

 Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky night. San Diego, CA : Harcourt Brace.

Impressions

I was blown away by both the story and pictures of this book. I read this book shortly after the recent unrest in Baltimore and I was struck by the applicability of this book to events of today.  The story makes you feel like you are experiencing the riots right along with Daniel and his family. I found the pictures stunning, with the images of the characters reminiscent of paintings of jazz musicians. I loved the textures of the pictures and the way that the story was woven into each one. Together the bold images with the complex textures help reinforce the tension of the events unfolding in the story.

Professional Review

Ages 5-9. Bunting says she wrote this story after the Los Angeles riots made her wonder about what riots mean to the children who live through them. A boy and his cat look down from the window at people rioting in the streets below. His mother explains that rioting can happen when people get angry: "They want to smash and destroy. They don't care anymore what's right and wrong." The boy says that they look angry, but they look happy too. He sees them looting Mrs. Kim's grocery store across the street; his mother never building burns, and everyone has to rush out to the shelter. The boy's cat is gone, and so is Mrs. Kim's cat, but a kind fire fighter finds both animals; they were hiding together. Then Bunting overstates her message: maybe the people, like the cats, need to get to know each other, so the boy's mother and Mrs. Kim agree to visit. Diaz's art is powerful - pulsating and crowded; part street mural, part urban collage. In each double-page spread, the background is a photograph of found objects and debris in a variety of textures and jagged shapes. On the right-hand page is an acrylic painting like a view through a heavy window, with thick lines and bright neon colors showing a multicultural cast. In fine contrast, the story is told quietly from the child's point of view, safe with his mother despite the fear, reaching out to the neighborhood community within the chaos.

Rochman, H. (1994, Mar. 1). Smoky night. Booklist, 90(13), 1267.

Library Uses

Smoky Night can be used to help students understand the racial tensions in our country and the importance of accepting others from different cultures. After reading the story, ask students how this book relates to their experiences or things that they have seen on TV. Work with students to complete a Venn diagram comparing themselves with a picture of a person from a different culture. Discuss with students the value in getting along with people of different cultures.