Bibliographic Information: Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky Night. Illus. David Diaz. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Brief Annotation: This is a story of a boy and his mother watching the riots, that broke out in Los Angeles, from their apartment window. They eventually end up in a shelter when their apartment complex is engulfed in flames and smoke. Led by the example of two cats, this boy and his mother learn the importance of getting along with others who have a different background or nationality.

Genre: Fiction

Grade Level: K-5

Readers who will like this: Young readers who are beginning to read chapter books but still enjoy the picture book format will enjoy is poignant story of friendship.

Response/Rating (1-4): This story is powerful in how Eve Bunting describes the riots, emotion and tone of the time. I would definitely use this story to illustrate riots: how they are started, what people can do when they are angry and what happens when people get angry. I would also use this as a conversation starter for lessons of kindness, neighborliness, diversity and friendship. The illustrations are powerful, full of texture, and conversational pieces as well. I rate this book 4 of 4.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: What is a riot? Why do people riot? From the cover, what do you think Smoky Night is about? What do you see in the background of these pictures? Has anyone ever had to spend a night in a shelter, how did that feel?