NIGHT NOISES is a fun little picture book written by Mem Fox. Lily Laceby, an old woman who may or may not be ninety years old, is having a snooze in her chair when strange night noises begin. Her old dog, Butch Aggie sleeps at her feet and reacts to the noises as they occur. While Lily sleeps, she dreams of scenes from her life in what seems to be backwards order. As the noises begin to occur, the book takes on a predictable double page template that younger children will especially enjoy. The action that creates the sound is described, then the actual noise is spoken (i.e., MURMUR, MUTTER, SHHHH.).Butch Aggie's reaction is shown to increase with each incident, and Lily "went on dreaming." This pattern continues over and over until the noises become so loud that Lily awakens. What follows is a lighthearted, but heartfelt celebration and look at aging. Fox adds details such as describing Lily's hair as, "wispy as cobwebs in ceilings" and, "CREAK, CRACK went Lily Laceby's knees as she got to her feet," which seem to bring the character to life for children and bring smiles to the faces of adults.

Terry Denton's pictures add a wonderful dimension to the story. His scratchy drawings seem to fit perfectly with the text. He adds a bit of humor to Lily by having one stocking hanging down, but then evens that out by showing what seems to be a bandage on Lily's other leg. Denton brings an Australian touch to the art with such images as birds cuddling in a green tree in the rain when Fox's words read, "One wild winter's evening..."

Fox and Denton manage to tell a tale that children as well as adults can enjoy without ever making fun of the elderly. Never preachy, NIGHT NOISES is a great read for the young and the young-at-heart.