This is a tender story about Felix who feels he does not fit in at school and has a unique secret, the actions he takes because of this, the loneliness and isolation he experiences, his two very different identities and finding his tribe, or pack, in Felix’s case in the most unlikely way. Every Night At Midnight by Peter Cheong and published by Affirm Press is a highly inventive and engaging story full of adventure and contrast.
During the day, Felix keeps to himself and experiences loneliness. He is very much an outsider, he feels different, he spends his days looking in at the friendly and animated interactions between his peers at school. In stark contrast, at night, as he looks out his bedroom window he sees possibility, freedom and a chance to experience exhilarating adventure as he transforms, running down streets and leaping across roof tops as a lone wolf.
At night, Felix is brave, fearless, fast and as he runs through the streets, he feels indomitable and that he does not need anyone else. At night, in his time of strength, the human quality of vulnerability also exists as Felix wishes that all his nights did not involve a werewolf transformation.
It is at night that Felix makes a discovery when a white wolf responds to his howl. Together they joyfully and playfully leap and fly across roof tops until the white wolf suffers a fall, resulting in a very treatable injury. Felix learns that being unique doesn’t mean he needs to be alone and he can rid himself of his lone wolf identity.
The striking and whimsical illustrations add another layer to the story, with much of the tale revealed in the stunning details included in the glorious artwork. The nighttime illustrations employ a colour palette perfect for the midnight setting with blacks, purples and a pop of orange, all adding to the mystery. The gothic style homes add to the evocative atmosphere and provide many perfect vantage points for a werewolf to stop and howl and obstacles to tackle showing the werewolf’s strength and endurance. The scenes set in the day at school use a lot of white space, particularly around Felix to highlight his isolation at the beginning of the story.
This is a hopeful story about being courageous and true to your unique identity because when differences are embraced, it is more likely that connections can be found.