I had mixed feelings about “Through the Night” after reading it. I liked the book because of its poetic prose and family oriented theme. But the characters were not well-developed, and the plot was pretty boring. The story was about a lonely driver coming home from distant travels. As he travels through farms, suburban homes, and the city he thinks of home, his wife and kids. The man passes roads, fields, and factories before finally arriving home to his kid waiting at the door. I enjoyed the family bond between the characters, but the plot had no conflict/resolution. The writing had a nice and rhythmic poetic feel. For example, “As the moon slowly rose from behind a line of distant trees, a car sped North along the highway.” The writing made the reader feel a part of the story. The message of the story is travelling home to see your family. ( )

I thought this book was wonderful. The illustrations were what I liked the most. The dark tinge they had really evoke the night, and really makes the father's return home all the more bright. The end, where the father is reunited with his family, is illuminated by the light coming from the house, pushing away the dark loneliness he felt as he was driving through the city. This book really makes you feel calm and comfortable as you drive along with the father and there is a sweet poetic refrain throughout: "And the lonely driver thought of home / ...his children... / ...his wife." This repetition shows that he misses them terribly. The big idea of this book is that your family will always be waiting for you when you return home, whether it is a short trip or a long journey. ( )