Today's read might seem to fit better to those summer months when fireflies light up the night, but I did see some just a night or two ago as they danced over my lower pasture. I've always loved fireflies and have been fascinated by them. So, I was more than happy to take a peek at this read and sink into a firefly evening.
WHERE FIREFLIES SLEEP
by Karen A. Wyle
Illustrated by Barbara Dessi
Oblique Angles Press
Picture Book
38 pages
ages 4 to 8
What is sweeter than the special times a parent and child spend together?
In this picture book, Molly and her father sit on the porch as a summer day moves into evening. They're waiting for fireflies. The reader shares Molly's excitement and delight as first one and then more of the glowing insects appear. Molly has questions about fireflies, and her father does his best to answer. And then it's time to get ready for bed. After Molly is finally tucked into bed, Dad goes out on the porch for one final word with the fireflies.
MY TIDBITS
Calmness and family love comes across strong in this lovely, bedtime read.
Molly sits with her father on the porch, waiting for the fireflies to appear. When they do, she's not only excited but has tons of questions...most her father isn't sure how to answer. But he does his best as Molly gets ready for bed.
This is a gentle tale, which shows the excitement of spotting fireflies. There's a nice time of waiting to allow anticipation to build until the little wonders appear. The questions that follow will have adults smiling due to the familiarity, and the awkwardness of the situation as the father struggles also draws a grin. But this is so nicely woven in that young listeners won't notice it and, instead, will wonder right along with Molly as she asks her questions. It builds an enjoyable atmosphere as she prepares for bed, and these are all moments readers can easily connect to. It does make a lovely bedtime read.
The text flows along with poetic style and is smooth. It makes a nice read-aloud and is age appropriate. The illustrations have a personal touch and stick to lighter colors to keep a gentle atmosphere, which invites to relaxation. I, personally, would have enjoyed a few firefly facts thrown in, but that's just my two-cents. It's a sweet read and well-done for those sleepy moments.
And here she is...
Karen
A. Wyle has wanted to be a writer since she was about nine years old. By the
age of ten, she had attempted (and thought she had written) a novel, 200
penciled pages which her saint of a mother typed and bound so young Karen could
feel "published."
When
Wyle was pregnant with her first child, she sat musing on the front deck one
day, looking at the oak trees, and came up with a short picture book MS she
titled Mommy Calls Me Acorn. Over the
next decade or so, she wrote other picture book MSS, but it took until 2021,
with ten novels under her belt, for her to finally seek illustrators for some
of them. Her picture books currently include You Can't Kiss A Bubble, illustrated by Siski Kalla; When It’s
Winter, illustrated by Barbara Dessi; Wind, Ocean, Grass,
illustrated by landscape painter Tomasz Mikutel; and Where Fireflies Sleep,
again illustrated by Barbara Dessi. Wyle and Mikutel are currently working on a
picture book biography of composer Joaquin Rodrigo.
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