In the dead of the night by Arthur McBain

Illus. by Tom Knight. Little Hare, 2019. ISBN: 9781760503413. 32pp., hbk.
It's a cold, rainy night and a storm is outside
Rain beats on the window by Lily's bedside
She's scared of the dark so she shuts her eyes tight
She hates nothing more than the dead of the night

Tap. Tap. Tap. Comes a noise from the hallway . . .
There is something about hearing strange sounds in the middle of the night that makes our imaginations run wild as we think about the possibilities - is there a monster with horns on its head; a vampire looking for prey; or a mesmerised ghost? All of these ideas fill Lily's head as she lies there listening to the Tap. Tap. Tap. But, remembering her little brother is also asleep and needs protecting, she summons her courage and determines to conquer whatever is making the noise . . .
Using rhyme and repetitive text, and stunning illustrations that are fearsome but not too scary, McBain and Knight have managed to build a story that reaches a crescendo of tension but which resolves itself with an unusual twist which will resonate with lots of young readers whose imaginations are as active as Lily's. It's an opportunity to talk about what might be making the tap, tap, tap and for little ones to share their fears about the dark and the noises of the night, and to reassure them that even as adults, we are all scared of the unknown at times and we have to summon our courage to investigate too.
Reassuring and different.
Barbara Braxton