Dare You! - Hardcover

Ages 4-6. One night after bedtime, a brother and sister dare each other to turn out the light, sneak downstairs, go outside, and play hide-and-seek in the dark. They are startled by night noises and never quite become accustomed to the strange sounds and sights of their familiar backyard in the dark. But Harry and Susie don't want to admit they're frightened, even when chased by "ghosts"--their parents. The adults, who shepherd the kids inside, readily admit to having been scared when they found their children gone. Then the young Susie says, "I was a little scared." "Me too," Harry adds. There's a pleasing innocence to the story and a rightness to the childlike refrains of Susie and Harry's conversations. The line-and-watercolor artwork nicely expresses the mystery that night holds for children as well as the comfort that home represents. Carolyn Phelan