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From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from October 3, 2022
“Clip, clop, a midnight moon./ The night lunch cart rolls in.” Spare, incantatory lines by Fan (Lizzy and the Cloud) lay down a soothing rhythm for this nocturnal idyll. Every night, a horse-drawn lunch wagon travels slowly through a darkened city, providing an array of animals—cats, foxes, possums, even a luna moth—with tasty midnight meals. Coffee, mince pie, sausages and peppers, butter rolls and biscuits; each creature gets what it wants. The toque-wearing owl who runs it says little, its energy instead devoted to cooking and serving food (“Crack, crack, a dozen eggs—/ sizzling in the pan”). Via the glow of streetlamps, the luminous moon, and the cart’s twinkling light, Seiferling (The Language of Flowers) theatrically illuminates the nighttime action, portrayed in scratchy, sepia-toned art. But who is the tiny creature sweeping trash into the gutter? It’s a small, hungry mouse. When the owl realizes the rodent’s plight, it invites the mouse to share undreamed-of bounty, and take a bag of food to go—not only sparing its traditional prey, but nourishing it, in this memorable vision of a peaceable kingdom. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. Illustrator’s agent: Jackie Kaiser, Westwood Creative Artists.

From Kirkus

September 15, 2022
A nighttime lunch leaves readers filled with vocabulary words. Subtly toned digital illustrations welcome readers to a nostalgia-tinged town where a horse pulls the "Night Owl" cart to provide meals for the nocturnal animal residents. The chef, a literal owl, prepares different meals for different creatures: A fox in a top hat dines on a mince pie, while a badger snacks on a sandwich and fries, moths devour eggs, and a possum with a passel of joeys purchases puddings. At the foot of each page, a short sentence appears underneath the illustration and frequently includes an unfamiliar word crying out to be defined, repeated, and memorized, such as aglow, shuffle, sizzling, and brightening. They're not wholly unusual words, but they may be unfamiliar enough that a good storyteller will be able to coax a few open-ended questions out of the tale. The illustrations have a scratch-art or pen-and-ink vibe that feels part Sendak and part Gorey, with the slightest dash of Van Allsburg thrown in for good measure. Adults and children alike who appreciate a quiet read will enjoy the subtle nuances of the book and the soft warmth of the characters. This is a good choice for a pajama storytime or bedtime tale, though it may leave readers craving their own midnight snacks. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A tasty little treat. (Picture book. 4-8)

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From Booklist

September 15, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 A horse-drawn cart arrives at night, bringing lunch to its animal patrons while a small mouse sweeps up the dust. In the cart, clanging pots and pans, Owl is the versatile quick-order chef. Mince pie for Fox, sandwich for Badger, an egg for Moth, sausages and peppers for the inverted hanging bats, and puddings for the multitudinous baby possums on mama's back. Then "Tick tock, time to stop. The sky outside is brightening." In a happy surprise, Owl has created a magnificent feast, complete with white tablecloth and candles, for the little, trembling mouse and himself to enjoy. Every full-page spread uses close-ups and different perspectives, providing a sweet and satisfying fantastical glimpse into what animals might be doing while humans sleep. The digital illustrations, done in soft sepia tones, use dramatic highlights for the lamps, stars, and twinkling strings on the horse's bridle. This creative and fun story should encourage children to imagine their own nighttime feasts.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From School Library Journal

July 22, 2022

Gr 1-3-A horse drawn lunch wagon rolling down a moonlit seemingly deserted city street gathers a crowd of surprising customers in this atmospheric nocturne. To Fan's quietly rhythmic text-"Drip, drop, coffee's hot./ Noses sniff the air./ Shuffle yawn, bellies growl./ The night lunch bell is ringing"-running across the bottom, Seiferling pairs misty scenes of sidewalks and closed stores, glimmering streetlights, and dark apartment buildings. Who would be out at such a late hour? "Night Owl" proclaims the sign on the wagon with perfect truth, for the proprietor/cook turns out to be a large owl, and the queued up clientele? A badger, a fox, a family of porcupines, moths, opossums, and other wildlife sporting hats, purses, and other anthropomorphic gear place orders for mince pie, sandwiches, biscuits, or pudding. Some diners sit down to eat (the wagon is larger on the inside than outside), others take away bags. And after the rush, as the sky begins to brighten and before closing up, the owl invites a tiny mouse who has been hopefully sweeping up the crumbs to share a sumptuous high tea. A hint of mischief animates this peaceful, harmonious alternative to such noisier peeks at what animals really do at night as Gideon Sterer's The Midnight Fair, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. VERDICT A pleaser for story time or bedtime, with distinctive art that adds quiet touches of humor and mystery.-John Edward Peters

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