In Christy Mandin's wondrous, magical Millie Fleur Saves the Night, the follow-up to Millie Fleur's Poison Garden, young Ms. La Fae employs compassion, care, and homemade moon pies to encourage every townsperson of Garden Glen to be a "friend of the Dark."
Every evening, residents of Garden Glen deploy houselights, spotlights, and lanterns to ensure their homes and gardens are safe from the "scary" and "dangerous" dark. Not so Millie Fleur, whose moon garden wasn't growing and who "hadn't seen a single night creature" since she moved to town. The Dark is always welcome in Millie Fleur's yard so the girl marches (moon pies in hand) to the edge of the woods to greet her old friend and many other creatures of the night. Spiders and bats, katydids and moles follow Millie Fleur back to her garden, which springs to life with their gentle activities. The sweet smell of night-blooming plants enchants her neighbors, but they will have to be brave and meet the Dark if they want to experience Millie Fleur's sparkling garden.
Mandin's enchanting sequel has all the charm and singularity of her first offering and allows readers to once again experience the eccentric perspective of her offbeat horticulturist with a penchant for the sweetly macabre. Digital illustrations are dark, fully saturated, and highlighted with whimsical touches, such as curlicues and faces on plants. Creative, unthreatening, and bursting with atmosphere, Millie Fleur Saves the Night should enchant readers of any age as it encourages them to face their fears and embrace the unknown. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author