Begin with the cover. We see a boy in a red jumper sitting on the roof of a house. As the title suggests, it is midnight. The moon is casting a glow over the scene and creating shadows, but the shadow is not of the boy. Instead, it is a large black wolf. Readers familiar with traditional stories of werewolves are sure to make a connection. The use of red for the title word midnight and for the boy’s jumper help to emphasise both the setting and main character of this story. The book design uses white and dark background colours effectively to show the contrast between the night and day scenes. The limited colour palette is also very appealing. The words of the title become a repeated refrain.
Turning to the front endpaper, reader predictions will be confirmed when we see the multiple images of the wolf flying through the air and wearing that same red jumper. We enter the house and see his bedroom walls are filled with werewolf sketches. A pencil case reveals the boy is called Felix. On the cover and in his own room Felix looks happy but at school his smile disappears. He spends his school days alone until one day a new girl arrives. Her character completely contrasts with Felix. She is instantly popular. Felix was the best runner in the class but then the new girl beats him. On his nightly adventure Felix hears a distant howl. He has found a new friend, and the wordless double spread is filled with joyous movement as they race across the city free to be themselves.
A second story turning point comes when the girl is hurt and can no longer race through the night. Felix decides to visit her at home but when he climbs through her window he encounters a very surprising scene – a scene that will have all readers returning to earlier pages in the book to locate any clues that explain this story twist.
Viewed together the front and back endpapers are a clever summary of the story. Felix has found his tribe.
2024 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Book of the Year Picture Book
Picture Books for Older Readers
