Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

The storyline and imagery may seem to border on the chimerical, but what takes place in Amy’s Light is a summertime occasion that adults can recollect with the same childlike wonder, joy and fascination as the main character, Amy. Considering that fireflies live mere weeks (a fact I picked up in the book’s “Did you know?” section), it really is incredibly exciting to see these bioluminescent insects flicker their goods in the evening air.

Set to soothing rhyme, the narrative situates Amy as a young girl scared of the shadows on her bedroom wall. Light emanating from outside her window lures her to the yard, where she captures lightning bugs in a mason jar. Taking them to her room, the glowing insects help dispel her fear of the shadows. At this point, animal ethics come into play as captivity wanes the fireflies’ radiance and Amy…

…ran to the window
Jumping for joy,
took the lid off to see
Amy watched with delight
and the lights became brighter
as they flickered and flackered
now suddenly set free
and flew out of sight.

Overall, this is a whimsical, attractive picture book with a sound message that will inspire your kids to explore nature’s nocturnal gifts. Robert Nutt is not only the author, but also the artist and his picturesque, doctored photographs are simply gorgeous. See a flash video of Amy’s Light and discover other “Connecting Children with Nature” titles through Dawn Publications.

Ages 4-8.