Bibliographic Information (APA): Bunting, E. (1994). Smoky Night. Orlando, FL: Voyager Books.
Brief Annotation: Smoky Night is a descriptive story told from the viewpoint of a small boy, Daniel, on one of the nights of the Los Angeles riots. The story follows the events of that boy’s life and thoughts on a very terrifying night for him and his mama. A major part of the story is Daniel’s struggle to find his cat, Jasmine. Although the story and illustrations are dark, the story ends happily with community togetherness because of two cats that bonded on a smoky night.
Grade Level: 4-8
Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy intense stories would like this book. In addition, a reader who likes stories with cats would like this book. Although the cats play a major part in the story, that part is not introduced until the end but the cat is on the cover of the book. A reader who has lived in a neighborhood that has scared them or been in a similar situation might relate to this story. Finally a reader who enjoys reading about a characters thought process because the book really gets into Daniel’s head and says what he is thinking.
Response/Rating (1-4): 4. When I began reading Smoky Night, I was confused. It was dark and scary and I could not tell where the story was going. I like it when I finished it. Then I read it again a few days later and cried while I was reading it. Every time I read it, I like it more. Daniel has a fascinating mind, and we as readers get to be a part of it.
One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever lost a pet?
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