From the acclaimed author-illustrator of Julian is a Mermaid comes a story of small moments between father and child that affirms the comfort of finding one’s place in the world.

“We’re going camping, you and me.”

“Where?” I ask.

“The desert,” says Dad. “To shake hands with the universe.”

Going to bed each night can be dark and scary. The night sky stretches out endlessly, making one sensitive child feel small in comparison. So Dad comes up with a plan: a night of camping out in the desert. Together, the two load up Darlin’, the old pickup truck, and drive over the mountain with the radio on, stopping to shoot the breeze at a junkyard before setting up camp, jumping in sand dunes, and lying back to name all the birds they can see. After sunset, when the young thinker feels tiny against the vast sky, Dad knows just what to ask – and just what to say – to soothe away fears. Maybe this night spent under the stars (and a surprise from Mum and the baby later) are just what is needed to show that the universe is a friendly place.