"Smoky Night" by Eve Bunting

APA Citation:


Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky nights. Singapore: Harcourt
        Brace.

Summary:

     A young African American boy shares his experience of being in the middle of the Los Angeles riots that broke out in the streets of his neighborhood. He and his mother stand in the darkness of their apartment looking out their window in fear as they watch people loot stores .  The rioters steal televisions, shoes, and food. There is smoke in the streets and laughter.  The boy and his mother see the looters leaving and they try their best to go to sleep.  But a fire breaks out in their building and they are forced to go to a shelter.  They run into Mrs. Kim.  She is an Asian lady who owns a store in the neighborhood.  She also lives in their apartment. The boy's mother never shopped or got to know Mrs. Kim because she was not African American.  The boy's mother soon realizes that it doesn't matter what background or nationality a person is.  Everyone should try to get along.  The boy's mother invites Mrs. Kim to visit them someday.  Mrs. Kim accepts.  


Illustrations:

     The story's illustrations are fantastic!  They  are paintings done in acrylics on watercolor paper.  The backgrounds are photographs.  It is very modern with beautiful dark rich colors that set the tone and mood of the story.  The reader can sense the fear and worry that the mother and her son must feel as they witness the chaos in the streets.  The background photographs reinforce the text.  For example, cereals, nuts, and cracker crumbs are the background photos when the story tells how the looters were robbing a food store.  Great detail was focused on each page.