FIREFLY GALAXY

Nature at night offers a magical experience—one, sadly, now threatened by humans.

Diego, Lili, Chico the dog, Papa and Mama, and the young narrator, Sofia, are eager to view fireflies. They must be patient and quiet, until suddenly, it’s “like the sky dropped in!” as the air fills with sparkles. Sofia isn’t content just to dance with the fireflies; the child sets out to catch one—and does. Eventually the narrator’s possessiveness (“mine all mine”) gives way to empathy, and Sofia frees the firefly and then “flies” off, “wild and free” with the other children and Chico. Text includes both rhyming verses and dialogue. The meter isn’t always consistent, and some phrasing is awkward (“The porch is hot / with wiggly feet”). In the charming, collagelike art, the hot oranges of sunset give way to violet, turquoise, teal, and navy shades. Colors form simplified flat shapes, without lines; vegetation is stylized. The narrator and Papa wear glasses; Mama, Lili, and Sofia are brown-skinned, while Papa and Diego are pale-skinned. Backmatter conveys a lot of information about fireflies, including why they flash and where they can be found, but nowhere are we told what the titular firefly galaxy is, and the visuals don’t clarify that term.

Glowing illustrations enliven this tale of nature’s delights.