"Night Windows" by Aart Jan Venema (Cicada Publishing)

Here's a really fascinating little storybook, at once visually appealing but dive inside and you'll find a really original story too...
Once again Cicada Books seem to have a knack for signing up original ideas from amazing author-illustrators.

In "Night Windows" by Aart-Jan Venema there's a really relatable theme at the heart of a tale of a young boy who moves from the countryside to the big city.

At first the boy's head spins with how fast-paced city life is, and how no one seems to have any time for each other (yeah, I've lived in London, I know this feeling all too well!)

But as night falls, the boy soon begins to see the beating heart of urban life, and a fascinating insight into the lives of people as they unwind at the end of a busy and hectic day.

The boy decides that he wants to get to know his neighbours a lot better, and comes up with an awesome plan to make it happen.

An unfriendly city full of angry people. What can the boy do to change this?

Aart-Jan's astonishingly brilliant art lends itself well to each scene as the boy gradually adjusts to his surroundings in the urban sprawl, and begins to better understand the other folk who call the city home.

How stunning is the artwork in this book!

Here's a book that once again proves Cicada are willing to take some pretty neat chances with a picture book concept that feels utterly fresh and vibrant, diverse and interesting just like the people you'd find in any city.

Thoroughly enjoyable, conveying a message of what displacement and homesickness feels like when you first uproot and move to a new place.

We like this one a lot!

C's best bit: The boy's brilliant idea to bring his neighbours closer together

Daddy's favourite bit: A fab and relatable story, utterly mesmerising artwork, and a wholly fresh and original feel.

"Night Windows" by Aart-Jan Venema is out now, published by Cicada Books (kindly supplied for review).