The Night Rebecca Stayed Too Late

Krystyna J. Higgins is the book review editor for the Catholic New Times
in Toronto.

“Suzie, I’m scared. Please, Suzie. Please! Please! Walk home with
me.” When Rebecca stays too long at her friend’s house one autumn
evening, the darkness outside becomes filled with vividly imagined
terrors, ranging from wild animals to lurking ghosts. In the course of
their walk, however, the two girls’ roles are reversed: Rebecca
becomes the brave one, to whom Suzie then looks for support.

Saskatchewan writer Peter Eyvindson’s 11th book for children is about
friendship, fear, and courage. The language is straightforward, the
children’s conversation natural and well paced, moving toward a truly
“spooky” turning point. It is Rhian Brynjolson’s vivid
illustrations, however, that really bring this book to life. Each
evocative and detailed page manages to convey simultaneously the
“real” world and the more sinister level imagined by the girls.
Bushes, shadows, and buildings take on an eerie quality. Some of the
pictures are obvious; others require a more careful second look. My
observant 7-year-old spotted a pair of eyes peering almost invisibly
from a darkened doorway.

Because this book evokes so effectively the immediacy of a child’s
fears, it may a little too “spooky” for some
preschoolers—especially at bedtime! That caveat aside, however, I do
not hesitate to give it a “highly recommended” rating.