Singing Away the Dark

In this story, the six-year-old protagonist likes school very much. She is, however, very afraid of walking the mile-long route through the wintry countryside in order to meet her school bus. Each weekday morning she leaves the warmth and security of home, only to enter the mysterious pre-dawn darkness of the rural landscape. It is only when this little soul begins to sing out loud that the darkness seems to evaporate. The act of singing gives her courage as she presses on through snowy fields and forests. “I sing for sun, I sing for strength, | I sing for warm toes, too. / I am so happy when I see / two headlights blaze in view.” Victory is in sight! All is well as she climbs aboard the school bus, ready to begin a new school day.

Caroline Woodward has written a compelling account in verse form about a courageous child attempting to overcome her fears the only way she knows how — through singing. The opening verse sets a bucolic scene: “When I was six and went to school, / I walked a long, long way... / I leave my house so nice and warm, / on a windy winter’s day.” However, Woodward gradually builds suspense as this girl passes by shadows and hears “...creaks and groans, and hoots and howls.” The countryside has been transformed into a sinister and foreboding environment. One feels great relief when she is enveloped into the safety of the school bus.

Julie Morstad’s striking ink, gouache and pencil artwork is captivating in its simplicity. The heroine is a picture of sweetness and innocence in her winterwear as she battles both the weather and her fear of the dark. The furtive shadows, the crisp whiteness of the snow, the hidden forest wildlife, and the gradual lightening of the teal sky as time moves forward are beautifully illustrated. We feel as if we are silent witnesses to wilderness secrets.

As an insightful exploration into inner bravery, Singing Away the Dark will resonate with readers of all ages.

Written in rhyming verse, this whimsically illustrated story tells the tale of a little girl who has to trudge a mile through the snow to catch the school bus. Will she be able to sing her way through the shadows on this dark winter morning? A finalist for the 2011 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award.