An atmospheric and intriguing picture book from multi-award-winning and internationally bestselling author-illustrator Akiko Miyakoshi, creator of Little Shrew.

"This reflective, dreamy tale with its timeless art is a must for the bedtime shelf." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

A mother rabbit and her young bunny are on their way home in the dark night. "My mother carries me through the quiet streets," the bunny explains. "Most of our neighbors are already home."

The bunny can see their lights in the windows and hear and smell what they might be doing: talking on the phone, pulling a pie out of the oven, having a party, saying goodbye. When they reach home, the father rabbit tucks the bunny into bed. But the bunny continues to wonder about the neighbors' activities ...

"Are the party guests saying goodnight? Is the person on the phone getting ready for bed?" And what of the footsteps that can be heard in the street as the bunny falls asleep? "Will she take the last train home?"

The Way Home in the Night captures the magical wonder a child feels at being outside in the night. Miyakoshi's softly focused black-and-white illustrations with just a touch of neutral color have a dreamlike quality, just right for nodding off to sleep. The book intrigues readers, as it contains twice-told stories - once as they are observed, and a second time as the bunny imagines them. It offers a perfect prompt for young children to create extensions of other stories they have read or heard. A deeper reading could encourage critical thinking by comparing the different pastimes of neighbors or, ultimately, what it means to be home.

"A web of enchantment draws readers into this affecting story." - Publishers Weekly, starred review