OCTOBER 2024 HOT OFF THE PRESS CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL PICK With a cast of characters as quirky as the artwork by author and illustrator Gabe Jensen, Nocturnal Nico follows the title character as he resists bedtime, mirroring the nocturnal creatures outside in the moonlight Nico doesn’t want to sleep—he must be nocturnal! Like the owl in the tree, Nico is alert. Like the bat flying in the night, Nico isn’t afraid of the dark—or is he? With comic-like illustrations and obscure nocturnal animals throughout, this picture book will help your little night owl get to bed. Hopefully! Includes one page of backmatter explaining the difference between nocturnal and diurnal animals and the adaptations that allow them to thrive at night. After working as an advertising creative for clients like Coca-Cola, Gabe Jensen spent 15 years making children’s digital media for Poptropica, Miniclip, and Ranger Rick Online. His first children’s book, Neverwoof , was released in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Kids’ Book Choice Awards. Gabe grew up in Brooklyn and currently lives in Berkeley, California, with three kids, a one-eyed cat (true), and a two-eyed Cyclops (false).