“Noisy Night”

Pictured on the cover of the new Mac Barnett book is a multi-storied apartment building.  “Noisy Night” explores what is happening to its inhabitants on each floor as night falls.

We first encounter a little boy in his bed.  He wants to know what is going on above his head that is producing the sounds La La La.  As the reader turns the page, he or she discovers that an opera singer is practicing his musical scales.  As he practices, he hears Ma Ma Ma, and he wants to know   what is happening above his head. And so it goes.  Each floor’s inhabitants produce another sound from Baa Baa Baa to Rah Rah Rah to Cha Cha Cha.  Finally, on the top floor is an older man trying to go to sleep.  He is yelling “Go to Bed!” and everyone does.

Young readers will enjoy hearing and then repeating the various sounds that each floor’s inhabitants produce.  This silly story has colorful, cartoon-like illustrations  by Brian Biggs, who lives in a three-story house right next to some very noisy neighbors.