Review by Booklist Review
This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces readers to bioluminescence, the self-generated light made by some plants and animals. Each two-page spread offers a dual narrative, with one consisting of simple declarative sentences printed in slightly enlarged font, suitable for the youngest audiences, and a second, more detailed story line, consisting of two or three sentences in slightly smaller font, providing basic definitions and kid-friendly details. The arresting illustrations steal the show: full-page black backgrounds, evoking dark nights, caves, and deep-sea caverns, are sprinkled with bits of luminescence rendered in shades of light purple, icy blue, and pure white. The enthralling eerie vistas show off the foxfire mushrooms, glowworms, jellyfish, squid, and other ocean denizens and fungi as they shine in the darkness, emphasizing curiosity and awe. All of these natural wonders are observed by a young girl with brown skin and her adult companion as they silently hike, glide, or float through various environments, with no conversation needed. This is a lovely introduction to bioluminescence, whether read as a snuggly bedtime story or shared in a group setting to set a tone of appreciation for the beauties of nature.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Saturated turquoise and vermilion figures pop off velvety black and blue backgrounds in this beguiling introduction to bioluminescent creatures. As a child and adult with tan skin and dark hair walk through the inky night with a flashlight, Kuo (Let's Do Everything and Nothing) defines light as "a kind of energy that our eyes can see." A page turn reveals foliage filled with tiny, brilliant points of light flashing in the dark--fireflies. "But what if your body could make its own light?" the text reads, in comparatively large type that conveys the book's through line. Sections rendered in smaller type offer technical information ("Bioluminescent creatures make the light through special chemical reactions inside their bodies"), and describe the utility of bioluminescence, which can "dazzle the deepest ocean depths," in the case of the deep-sea anglerfish, or, like the vampire squid, "startle and distract your enemies." Breathtaking spreads introduce foxfire, glowworms, and more as incandescent lines trace the filaments and tentacles of the sea creatures that live in the ocean depths where much bioluminescent life is found. It's a revealing book whose visual appeal, like bioluminescence itself, lures unsuspecting readers in. Ages 4--8. (Nov.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1--A child and an adult, both with pale skin, explore luminous species found in the dark. This nonfiction picture book can easily be read with just the short, poetic primary text that invites readers to use their imaginations about what it might be like to make their own light. More curious readers can dive deeper into the short sidebars that detail the type of bioluminescence being described and shown in the illustrations. Kuo presents information that will intrigue children and make them feel they have learned something new without feeling as though they are being taught. The book briefly mentions light pollution and manufactured light. The illustrations lend themselves to a feeling of dreaminess or being in space. The varying shades of blue, white, yellow, and orange against a black background immediately evoke the glow of bioluminescence. VERDICT Lovely in tone and presentation, this recommended book lacks back matter, but the information may inspire readers to do further research on their own.--Heather Webb
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Review by Horn Book Review
"What if your body could make its own light?" In Kuo's gorgeous exploration of bioluminescence, an adult and child encounter organisms that do just that in the air, sea, and underground. The black-backgrounded illustrations creatively employ negative space and a limited palette -- almost exclusively blue, orange, tan, and white -- to produce images that effectively capture the subdued glow of bioluminescent life. At first, the human pair appears in the illustrations alongside fireflies, foxfire, glowworms, and dinoflagellates, all of which live in locations people can visit. Kuo then invites the two (and readers) to "just imagine..." what it's like deep in the ocean where bioluminescent animals live, where their light helps vampire squid scare their enemies, dragonfish find food, and jeweled squid camouflage themselves. The poetic main text, which encourages observation and wonder, is accompanied by short paragraphs, in a smaller font, that present factual information about the featured organisms. The final pages issue a gentle warning that human-caused light pollution is making this amazing phenomenon increasingly difficult to see. Danielle J. Ford November/December 2022 p.107(c) Copyright 2022. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Imagine being bioluminescent like the living creatures that make their own light in the dark of night and ocean depths. With a two-level text and illustrations that almost seem to glow, Kuo presents the phenomenon of bioluminescence to younger readers and listeners through the imagined explorations of a parent and child who are tan-skinned and dark-haired and outlined in tan. On black (or, once, deep blue) spreads, shades of orange and blue define the living things on the pages. The parent and child explore the woods at night, travel by boat (even into a cave), and imagine swimming in the ocean. They discover fungi, glowworms, and a variety of sea creatures that use their abilities to make their own light for different purposes. The humans' facial expressions reflect their pleasure. Page turns indicate each change of focus and lead readers further into the exploration. The simple, poetic text and striking images make for an effective group read-aloud. Most spreads also include more extensive information in a short expository paragraph in a smaller font. Here Kuo introduces and defines concepts such as energy, bioluminescence, camouflage, dinoflagellates, biodiversity, and even light pollution. Kuo concludes with a powerful exhortation to readers: "So always look, / really look, // when it's dark out." (This book was reviewed digitally.) A surprisingly simple yet mesmerizing introduction to a wonder of the natural world. (Informational picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
