Imagine a world where pharaohs have wheelbarrows, bicycles are made of ice, tigers live in apartment buildings, trees speak, kites think, and cats fly. This is the world of Beauty at Night, where even adults can secretly enjoy vivid colors, beautiful drawings, playful verse, and a certain magic.

Anyone who has ever wondered where the wind comes from, or what old rose bushes say, or in what way a poem resembles an answering machine, will find the answers in this book. You will also see how the elephants looked when they were dancing with their umbrellas, what happened when the snails chased the horses, and where the Chinese hat landed when it blew away.

Finally, if you are old enough to know that not all children’s books are only for children, read the Afterword by David J. Rothman to yourself – and love your family that much more.

All proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Michael H. Rothman Endowment for Music and the Arts.

David J. Rothman's poetry, essays, and scholarship have appeared widely. He lives in San Juan Capistrano, California with his wife, Emily, and his sons, Jacob and Noah.

Michael H. Rothman (1961-1998) was an artist and musician who graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute.

Cynthia Min (1965-1990) was an artist and designer who graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute.

Reviews

"When the poems are combined with perfect companion drawings and a splash of vibrant color, you get a certain magic that playfully merges poetry and art into a most unusual book."x—Mike Nobles, Tulsa World

"A lovely collection of poetry, Rothman's book reads easily to children or can be enjoyed by adults. The poems are innocent in their simplicity and purity, but the truths they speak of are universal. Observant without being silly, David Rothman takes old ideas and makes them fresh."x—Merrie W. Valliant, Colorado Libraries