Night Animals
This laugh-a-minute story features Possum, Skunk, Wolf, and Bear hiding behind trees, trying to stay quiet, and clinging to each other in fright. A bat swoops down from the trees to ask the animals what they are so scared of and the hilarious response is that they are afraid of night animals. The astonished bat reminds all of them that “they are night animals.” As the Possum, Skunk, Wolf and Bear realize the truth of Bat’s statement, they suddenly hear the click of a flashlight coming from a green tent and soon encounter the scariest creatures of all. The night animals all run for their lives except for Possum, who is frozen in place only to encounter another creepy sound in the night—Hoo, Hoo, Hoo! The reverse side of the book jacket contains an illustrated chart with additional facts about each night animal from the smallest to the largest.
Pennsylvania Center for the Book Awards
Book Activities & Discussion Ideas
The humor of the scared animals is great fun for the reader and listener in this story, and will provide lasting amusement. It is also a good book for children to learn the animal’s names and what the word “nocturnal” means. Share with children what it means to “play possum.” And that opossums in real life “play possum” as a way to protect themselves from predators. On a second reading, invite the children to act out the story as it is read. The children will especially enjoy playing the part of the possum.
Since this book has large print and few words per page, suggest that adults point under the words as they are reading. The following activity can be enjoyed by the whole family. Gather everyone together in a comfortable space and turn on a flashlight or light a candle. Make sure all the other lights are out in the house. Blow out the candle and ask everyone to listen and to try to identify the sounds in "their night house." What noises are they hearing and what is making those noises? In the summer this could be done outside. Do different rooms in the house produce different noises?