Queen of the Night

Tatty Brown is beset by bedtime fears of goblins and ogres. Her mother is calm and matter-of-fact, explaining that she too was visited by an ogre and a goblin when she was little, but she listened to the Queen of the Night. Away Tatty goes with the Queen to learn that night time mysteries are all ordinary day time objects: an ogre is the sound of the waves breaking as they slip up the sand, a snake is the city train and a goblin in the wild woods is only the wind in the trees.

From the opening endpapers depicting the rising moon to the closing illuminated by the ascending sun the viewer is engaged with swirling scenes of indigo and cobalt, deep greens, greys and rust, with the queenly moon riding serenely above all. The generous format and Armitage’s painterly illustrations make a striking display for adults and children to enjoy together.