When Twilight Comes: The Animals and Plants That Bring Dawn and Dusk to Life

Turn the pages of this luminous picture book to take a walk through the special moments between day and night, and discover a world full of secrets and surprises that unfold only in the twilight.

When twilight comes, nature transitions: from night to day at dawn and from day to night at dusk. Inside our homes, we are getting ready to start our days or end them, but outside, crepuscular creatures--animals that are most active at dawn or dusk--are right in the middle of their days!

This engaging nonfiction picture book shows familiar animals and beautiful flowers--skunks, white-tailed deer, fireflies, morning glories, evening primroses, and more--in a whole new light, focusing on the behaviors, adaptations, and activities that define each as a crepuscular creature or plant. The lushly illustrated pages demonstrate the interconnected interactions between critters and their environments, powerfully showing how each is essential to the ecosystem as a whole.

From the first page welcoming the dawn to the last page beckoning us to venture outside during the magical in-between times, this mesmerizing book encourages young readers to compare and contrast the rhythms of the natural world with the rhythms of their own days, inviting curiosity and encouraging comfort with transition times.EDUCATIONAL & ENTERTAINING: With in-depth research and an engaging visual narrative, this book is an excellent resource for librarians and primary school educators looking for material that meets Next Generation Science Standards. Readers aged 5 to 8 will love learning about animal traits, behaviors, and habitats, and observing daylight cycles.

IN-BETWEEN ANIMALS ARE FASCINATING: When the sun comes up in the morning, some animals are ending their days--and when we're getting ready for bed, others are just waking up! This narrative nonfiction story offers a wonderful way for kids to think about transition times like bedtime and waking up as part of their own natural rhythms.

TALENTED CREATORS: Marcie Flinchum Atkins is a teacher-librarian and an exciting thinker, researcher, and writer. She has written several books for children, including Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature. Michelle Morin is a painter, illustrator, and surface designer whose work explores nature's complex and mesmerizing layers.Perfect for:

• Parents, grandparents, and caregivers looking for engaging, educational picture books
• Teachers, educators, and librarians seeking beautiful nonfiction books with STEM content
• Fans of illustrated nonfiction for kids like the Over and Under series and The Ultimate Book of Animals
• Anyone seeking a distinctive gift for an animal- or nature-loving child

Author: Marcie Flinchum Atkins
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Published: 03/31/2026
Pages: 48
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.32lbs
Size: 12.25h x 9.25w x 0.38d
ISBN: 9781797216799
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 02/01/2026
Booklist 03/01/2026
School Library Journal 12/01/2025 pg. 76

About the Author
Marcie Flinchum Atkins is a teacher-librarian by day and a children's writer in the pre-twilight hours of the morning. She has written several books for children, including Wait, Rest, Pause: Dormancy in Nature. She lives with her family in Virginia, where she loves watching fireflies on a summer evening. Learn more about her at marcieatkins.com.

Michelle Morin lives and works in Maine. In her paintings, she maps different ways of seeing and understanding the natural world by balancing its complex and mesmerizing layers through shape, line, and color. She has collaborated with many companies, including H&M, Anthropologie, Nike, Yves Saint Laurent, Gorman, and Vilshenko. This is her first picture book. Find out more at www.michellemorinart.com