The story of astronaut Chris Hadfield and how he overcomes his fears of the dark as a young boy and comes to embrace the darkest dark of outer space as an astronaut. Eric and Terry Fan’s inky, dusky palette brings to life Chris Hadfield’s childhood, including his summer family cottage on Stag Island in southern Ontario.
It’s amazing how many different forms of dark are rendered—the faint patterned wallpaper in Chris’ bedroom, the crisp windy night sky outside his cottage, the television set’s cold light on the faces of the crowd gathered to watch the moon landing in his neighbor’s living room—which speaks to their ability as illustrators to bring to life the most ordinary of settings. As seen in their first picture book The Night Gardener, the Fan brothers are masters of using color to create mood, intrigue and a kind of tangible magic.
The Darkest Dark is by Chris Hadfield, Kate Fillion, Eric Fan and Terry Fan. Out on September 13 from Tundra Books.