From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–Tom wakes up frightened after hearing a noise in the middle of the night and navigates the dark house to find his father. The boy's remarkably descriptive imagination envisions "a monster with no arms and no legs" that "slides on its fur"–and astute viewers will see occasional bulges in the walls and fluttering clothing that complement this description. When his father comes to his room, he has a simple explanation for the noise: there is a mouse in the wall. This answer soothes Tom, but disturbs his younger brother who lies awake imagining his own monster. Dark, atmospheric illustrations capture the unease a child may feel wandering around a sleeping house, as well as the shadows that transform everyday objects into scarier sights. However, the story the artwork tells seems to be a different one from that of the text, and literal-minded youngsters may not make the leap. The father is present throughout most of the narrative, but never appears in the pictures. The text itself is a bit too complex for the intended audience, and the emphasis on frightening details detracts from the comfort of the father's simple explanation. Originally published as a children's story within the author's adult novel,
A Widow for One Year (Random, 1998), this offering doesn't stand on its own.
–Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Product Description
WHEN A YOUNG BOY wakes up in the middle of the night, an unfamiliar sound conjures frightening images in his mind.
Children everywhere can now enjoy John Irving’s story about nighttime uncertainties,
A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound. Originally found within Irving’s ninth novel,
A Widow for One Year, this atmospheric tale has been brought to life by Tatjana Hauptmann’s beautifully muted illustrations.
Includes an introduction by the author.
