The Midnight Fair

Product Information

I believe that kids are empowered when they have access to all kinds of books, and can choose for themselves what they want to read. Graphic novels can be an especially engaging form of reading, and a gateway to all types of literature. But graphic novels are also an extraordinary, complex, versatile medium in themselves, not dumbed down versions of “real” books. You wouldn’t discourage a kid from going to a museum to look at paintings or sculptures or photography, so why would you tell them not to look at artwork in a book? Images are visceral in a different way than text, and when an artwork moves you, it’s speaking to you in a different language than words. There is no single way to tell a story, and graphic novels are one fascinating way to express emotions and ideas that can’t be put into words alone.” Despite all the merriment, The Midnight Fair is much more than a cute story about animals having fun. It’s entertaining and clever, but it never devolves into flippancy or silliness. Unhampered by the solidity and clarity of text, it maintains an ethereal aura of mystery and a sense of quiet dignity not often found in picture books with anthropomorphic animal protagonists.

The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer | Goodreads

I enjoyed seeing the animals having a ride on the teacups, swings, and pirate ship amongst other amusement rides, plus munching on the confectionary and hot dogs. They certainly look like they are enjoying themselves. This book is so lovely. It takes the shared experience of a county fair for humans and turns it into something strange and wondrous. There are so many moments caught in the images here: a porcupine covered in sweets, a fawn managing to ride a carousel horse, a rabbit whizzing by on the swing ride, and a bear cub buying ice cream with acorns. One after another, the images are immediately iconic and touching without being saccharine. The golden light of the fair lights turns everything magical, just as it does when you go to a fair in person.The two medal winners were chosen from a shortlist of 16 – eight for each medal – by an expert team of volunteer judges, featuring 14 librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group based across the UK. Fish as prizes in fairs is an appalling cruelty, a view which the author shares. I would hate a child to read this and get the idea that they could help a fish in this way too. The best way people can stop this cruel practice is to push for legislation to get it banned. Boycott fairs that use this, let them know why. Even if you take a fish away and try to give it a good environment, chances are the tap water they have been put into will have poisoned them with chlorine if the fright of being hung up in a fair doesn't kill them first. Every fish that is taken away means they will get more because it is making them money. It would be like buying a live lobster in a supermarket to set it free, tempting as it is you would just be creating more demand for cruelty. Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - Gideon Sterer and and Mariachiara Di Giorgio’s The Midnight Fair may be a wordless picture book, but its story is clear, compelling and utterly enchanting. . .Through clever use of framing and perspective, Sterer and Di Giorgio invite readers to be a part of each moment…Every inch of illustrator Di Giorgio’s art is captivating, from a scene in which the silhouetted creatures’ eyes glow in the dusk as they emerge from the woods to a poignant moment by the lake near the story’s end. But when the carnival lights come on, her illustrations become truly spellbinding. Gleaming and golden, The Midnight Fair radiates magic. It’s truly exceptional. A wordless book that excites the imagination of children. Just imagine, if you would, the "fair" has come to town with all the excitement and glitze, bright lights and sweet goodies, the anticipation and the fun. Then imagine there is a forest abutting the open field where the "fair" stands in all its splendor and glory.

ALCS | Story about off-grid living wins Yoto Carnegie Medal

Unsurprisingly, then, this particular story thread has received complaints. But The Midnight Fairis pure fantasy. We should give kids credit for being able to enjoy a storyline while holding the truth that treating goldfish in this way is unkind. In 2021, the Carnegie Medal was won by Jason Reynolds for Look Both Ways, and the Carnegie Shadowers’ Choice was awarded to Manjeet Mann for Run, Rebel. The Kate Greenaway Medal was won by Sydney Smith for Small in the City and Sharon King-Chai was awarded the Greenaway Shadowers’ Choice for Starbird. YLG has 12 regional committees covering all of the UK, and each committee advertises and democratically recruits a judge to represent them on the panel of judges. Each judge serves a two-year term and each year the panel is a unique mix of new and experienced judges led by the Chair of Judges. Following the independent diversity review of the Awards, CILIP introduced a co-opting procedure so that if this recruitment process does not result in a sufficiently diverse and representative judging panel, up to two judges will be co-opted to join the panel.

The book is quite dark in colour as the story is set at night-time. The animals including a bear, rabbits, deer, raccoon, cat, fox, and many many more, watch for all the people heading home from the fair waiting for their turn to enjoy themselves. The book doesn’t state where the fair is but judging by one of the stalls being ‘cotton candy’ and the price in dollars I can only presume it is in America. Yoto, the innovative, screen-free audio platform for children, is the headline sponsor for the awards. The awards are also proudly sponsored by Peters, the official book supplier; and ALCS, champions of authors’ rights. Painting from close up, Di Giorgio creates the sense that viewers are part of the crowd, and bathes every spread in brilliant, theatrical light. - Publishers Weekly STORIES WORTH SHARING The Midnight Fairby Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio (Walker Books, 2020) Good to Read for:

Shadowing Resources Yoto Kate Greenaway Shortlist

CILIP is a registered charity, no. 313014. The Youth Libraries Group (YLG) is a special interest group of CILIP who work to preserve and influence the provision of quality literature and library services for children and young people, both in public libraries and school library services. A spectacular, surreal and cinematic wordless picture book about the secret life of animals. Far from the city, but not quite in the countryside, lies a fairground. When night falls, and the fair is empty, something unexpected happens.Take turns with your child to tell the story by looking at the pictures. Wordless stories like this are empowering – there are no rights or wrongs!

The Yoto Carnegies

Di Giorgio’s cinematic techniques are evident in her lively watercolour artwork and help to give the book a powerful sense of spectacle. Spread from The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer and Mariachiara Di Giorgio A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature. I’m unsure how the collaboration between the writer and illustrator works on a wordless picture book. But that’s what The Midnight Fairis – a story told entirely through fantastic illustrations by Mariachiara Di Giorgino. In this wordless picture book, with BEAUTIFUL illustrations by Mariachiara Di Giorgio, between the animals and their food and fun, its easy to be swept away in their night of fun. I have even talked the head into a little revamp of the library so that we can display them properly!Mariachiara Di Giorgio is an illustrator, storyboard artist and concept designer from Rome, Italy. She created her first picture book, the wordless Professional Crocodile, with writer Giovanna Zoboli in 2017.