This is not a book to be read at night to a young imaginative child. One flashlight, a small group of kids travel in the dark of the yard and anything and everythink that looks interesting becomes a journey into the spooky shadows found there.

Even the most mundane objects that are fine in the light of day, become ominous in the dark as the flashlight highlights the details. The woods seem long and laden with darkness as a tiger is spotted on the path, The waters shine in the spooky night and now, the tiger roars. The walls in an old hall seem to point to a Egyptian with shapes that shift as the room becomes narrow and shows many masks and a tomb where something may jump out at those who imagine what it could contain. Could it be a pirate with a bird that awaits them?

And, now even the swimming pool which holds a lot of memories from fun daytime activities becomes a ship that takes them in the path of creatures that lurk and arise from the dark deepness.

Enough fear for one night of discovery, a voice is calling telling the children "LIGHTS OUT!!!"

As I read this book, I remembered Saturday nights spent at my grandmother's house when the black and white tv was tuned to Creature Feature. The room was dark because my grandmother always was frugal with electricity. She was fast asleep as I sat in the large stuffed chair where my feet dangled and didn't touch the floor.

"AHHHH!," the screen showed a jealous man who wanted to play piano just like the man who gave a wonderful concert. And then, those hands that played so well now were made to a plaster cast that awaited the jealous man to choke him.

Later that night I was terrified as I tried to sleep in the large upstairs room, down the hall from the others, where I was awake and very afraid those hands were coming for me from under the large brass bed.

My grandmother didn't say "Lights Out!," she opened the door, turned the light on, and hugged me until I fell asleep.

Four and 1/2 Stars! ( )

Flashlight Night is about the adventures that are illuminated by a flashlight around the backyard and treehouse. Spooky woods, pirates, ships, tigers, and a giant squid are uncovered through their flashlight and imagination. The illustrations are just spooky and shadowy enough to add mood but not too much to scare kids. It's a fun bedtime book too for kids PreK-2. ( )

A classic-feeling picture book just right for nighttime reading, the illustrations are outstanding, and the rhyming text suits the setting wonderfully. Three children begin their adventures from a tree house. A single flashlight leads them through ever-more-fantastical settings, the flashlight always illuminating what the children's imaginations are creating while the darkness reveals the more common reality. Settings and situations build and build until it all winds down to a nice, quiet ending. ( )

Fantastical monsters, and villains, creepy forests, medieval castles, ancient ruins, and pirates on the high seas!

Full of imagination and magic, great illustrations and lovely rhyming words.

Also, a little bit scary - not to be read alone! ( )

Magical, good night story; adventures take the reader everywhere. Allow time to enjoy it all ... ( )