Night Walk to the Sea: A Story about Rachel Carson, Earth's Protector by Deborah Wiles

Abstract

Reviewed by: Night Walk to the Sea: A Story about Rachel Carson, Earth's Protector by Deborah Wiles Elizabeth Bush Wiles, Deborah Night Walk to the Sea: A Story about Rachel Carson, Earth's Protector; illus. by Daniel Miyares. Schwartz & Wade, 2020 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781524701475 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781524701499 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs A passing nighttime thunderstorm leaves little Roger more frightened than he's willing to admit, but Great-Aunt Rachel knows just what he needs: a tramp through [End Page 57] the woods and down to the shore, to expend some energy and witness the calmer beauty of his surroundings. Clad in his green monster rain boots, Roger is bent on taming unruly Nature and showing it that his own monster self is in charge; in response, Rachel points out tiny wonders in the woods and engages him in the rescue of a lost and struggling firefly: "'I am a monster who saves fireflies.' 'You are indeed,' said Rachel. 'And you are also a boy who loves all the creatures of the woods and sea. You are their brave protector.'" Wiles conflates two episodes from Rachel Carson's life into this imagined shared encounter between the famed environmentalist and the great-nephew she adopted, capturing the approach Carson articulated in her A Sense of Wonder. Miyares' ink paintings render the deep night as mysterious and welcoming, a lush, velvety place where cozy closeness of the woods gives way to a majestic sea, with a pair of sturdy characters who move lightly through environments that they can appreciate but not fully own. End matter comprising Carson biography, remarks on bioluminescence, and resource materials in varied formats is included. Copyright © 2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois