Orion and the Dark

Written & illustrated by Emma Yarlett

A boy's fear of the dark leads to an unexpected adventure.

5.5/7 Bookroo experts·4.3/5 Goodreads · 1,714 ratings

40 pages· 707 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Orion fears the dark more than anything. But when the Dark itself visits, it takes him on a surprising journey. As they explore together, Orion discovers the wonders hidden in the shadows. Will this adventure change his perspective forever? Dive into a world where the dark isn't just something to fear, but a companion with secrets to share.

From the publisher

Orion is very scared of the dark—until Dark decides to pay him a visit!

Orion is scared of a lot of things, but most of all he’s scared of the dark. So one night the Dark decides to take Orion on an adventure. Emma Yarlett’s second picture book combines her incredible storytelling and artwork with die-cut pages that bring the Dark to life.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 40
Words: 707
Reading age: 3–7
Audience: Picture
Lexile: ~511L

Themes & topics

Books about facing fears Books about friendship Books about feelings and emotions Books about social themes Books about feeling scared

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.5

out of 7

6.3

“This is just an amazing book all around: the illustrations are gorgeous and unique and the story is fantastic as well, with a great message! Orion is afraid of so many things, but especially the dark until The Dark comes to visit him. The cheerful personification of the dark looks absolutely huggable and I love how together they conquer Orion's fear by discovering the truth of each aspect of the dark that terrifies him—knowledge is power.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

4.8

“The story of Orion and his many fears is told in doodly illustrations saturated with color. Especially lovely are the figure of Dark and the night sky illustrations with stars and constellations. I like the friendly personification of Dark and its matter-of-fact expanation of all the things that go bump in the night. The many doodled illustrations extraneous to the main storyline make this a little tricky as a read aloud, but it is doable and the book is perfect for a curious and competent little reader.”

Grammy

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one