The Beach at Night

4.5 stars

The Beach at Night is a picture book for young readers by Italian author, Elena Ferrante. Readers familiar with Ferrante's adult novella, The Lost Daughter will recognise the bones of this story in that one. When five-year-old Mati's father brings her a black-and-white cat named Minù, she's so taken by her new pet, Mati accidentally leaves her doll, Celina behind on the beach. Lying in the sand as night falls, Celina hopes someone will come back for her, but no one does. When the Mean Beach Attendant of Sunset comes along with his Big Rake, Celina is frightened. But this scary man is not the only thing she will have to deal with during her night on the beach.

Ferrante's story has all the essential elements of a children's story: adventure, danger, a bit of magic and a happy ending with a cute twist. All the Important Things are Capitalised, and there is some delightful descriptive prose: "The Storm is a lady in a long, dark-blue dress. She wears a crown of Lightning on her head and has a booming voice, because Thunderclaps are continually coming out of her wide mouth". Mara Cerri provides the evocative and somewhat haunting illustrations, while the text is translated by Ann Goldstein. A book that will charm younger and older readers alike.