In the Middle of the Night

Toys, food, and other everyday household objects have wild adventures at night, while the humans in the house sleep, in this imaginative collection of 26 poems.

What do the things in your home do when you're asleep? They play, of course! In this compendium of poems by Laura Purdie Salas, everything from stuffed animals to clothing to writing utensils comes to life under the cover of night. An overdue library book searches for the perfect place to hide. A paper clip skydives with a tissue parachute. A fruit snack unrolls to create a tricky racetrack for toy cars. A hose unwinds and rolls around the yard before curling back up just before dawn. Accompanied by Angela Matteson's beautiful acrylic-on-wood illustrations, this book will spark young readers' imaginations and is a perfect choice for bedtime reading.An NCTE Notable Poetry Book

“When a little girl drifts off to sleep in her bed, all of her toys come alive to play. Matteson's whimsical illustrations channel the playful tone of the author's words. The artist utilizes brushstrokes and movement lines to emphasize the playful nature of each character while Salas explores emotions, reactions, and inner thoughts of seemingly everyday items. (H)ighly recommended for elementary libraries.” – School Library Journal

“The poems vary in form and…the feel overall is cheery and energetic. Matteson's paintings…evoke the nighttime setting. Brighter shades and unusual perspectives match the liveliness of the text. Simply drawn faces on the objects convey emotions effectively, while stick-figure-style arms and legs…heighten the whimsical tone. Familiar objects, playful language, and imaginative action add up to a collection that will amuse young listeners and, perhaps, inspire them to undertake imaginative explorations of their own.” -Kirkus Reviews

“Toys and inanimate objects throughout a house come to life as a child slumbers…Matteson fills her scenes with a sense of whooshing movement and rambunctious energy, making for a fun nighttime outing.” —Publishers Weekly
Laura Purdie Salas is the author of more than 125 books for children, including If You Were the Moon, the award winning Can Be . . . series, and BookSpeak! Poems About Books, which was an NCTE Notable Book of Poetry and won the Nerdy Book Award for Poetry, among other honors. She lives with her family in Plymouth, Minnesota. Visit her at laurasalas.com.

Angela Matteson is the illustrator of Grumbles from the Town by Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlich. She works as a Marketing Director and food packaging designer. She enjoys showing her paintings in galleries and lives in Columbus, Ohio. Visit her at angelamattesonart.com.