Member Reviews
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow a little moth boy as he wanders in the darkness outside. The full moon tempts him to go out, and he does, but something sinister lurks there, too. He plays around with other fireflies, who all venture toward the open sea and lighthouse. It's a quick and straightforward read for youngsters who enjoy things at night. "Shine" shows that no matter how dark it is, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. A fascinating read.
Lovely art but our customers don't always respond well to dark pallets.
The story might be a little esoteric for our customers too.
I think the book is really gorgeously rendered but the message seemed too elusive for the intended audience .
I love the art work and illustrations. They are all so phenomenal! I know my students would enjoy looking at the pictures of the brave moth and scary frogs!
I felt like this book had so much potential that it didn’t live up to. Fear and anxiety are great topics that are not often addressed in young children and this would be a great resource to read about overcoming those obstacles and being our best self. However, the book skipped around too quickly to the end and I didn’t feel like it made a lot of sense overall and glossed over the theme. Maybe I missed something?
My 7 year old liked the illustrations , he liked that it looked like colored pencil. He liked the creepy frogs. He thought the moth was cool.
Shine by Bruno Valasse is a delightfully charming and heartwarming story about a moth, some fireflies, fears, and stars. With the help of some firefly friends, the moth is able to overcome his fear of the dark and shine brightly in the sky for others to see. This brilliantly illustrated book is full of morals and feel-good messages. The perfect book when we are feeling just a little bit too small.
Stunning! This was another one in which the artwork really wows. I loved the color palette and simple composition of the text with the rich complexity of the illustrations. I did get a little lost in the narrative toward the middle, but that didn't take too much away from the overall experience.
I love the message behind this story to embrace one’s authentic self. The illustration style is representative of the message and sets a great tone for the story.
I think will be a great book to initiate conversations with young ones about overcoming fears and finding confidence in oneself.
I do feel a little as though it is missing something. It seemed a bit rushed or lacked context somewhere?
This was such a cute and optimistic read! I adore the illustrations especially, they're very unique.
This book is perfect for any little ones that may be demonstrating some anxieties or newfound fears. The moral is so powerful and so sweet- we all have a light within us and as we face our fears and let our shine, we’ll light the way for others, too. I thought it was so clever to make the main character of the story a moth- a creature that fears the dark and wants to be where it’s bright and lit. The 3 star rating is due to the fact that I felt like the book jumped to the end too quickly. I like short children's books but it almost seems like this one could use an extra few pages in the middle to make the message even more compelling. Nevertheless, it's the cutest concept and I’ll absolutely be looking for more from this author.
Thank you to the author and net galley for allowing me to read and review this adorable book.
A beautifully illustrated rustic picture book that emphasizes standing up for those around you and letting your inner light shine. I wish there had been a bit more text. However, the illustrations are truly phenomenal. This will make a great little gift book!
I loved reading this lyrical story and gazing at the colourful paintings.
It's about talking about your fears shamelessly and trying to get over it with the help of knowing your own strength and seeking help from others.
Highly recommended.
I loved the illustrations in this children’s literature book. As an Early Educator I am constantly looking to fill my shelves with books that are new, thought provoking and enjoyable to share with my students.
I think this book would help initiate conversations about animals, camouflage and nature but also feelings, fears and how to work through them.
This was a great book!
Shine is a beautiful book about being brave and finding your self-worth. I thought the illustrations were especially gorgeous and eye-catching. Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for giving me early access to this book!
Shine is a story of overcoming your fears with the help of friends, something we can all identify with. For fans of Phoebe Wahl, this book will make your heart lighter and Reims you that shining your light for all to see is powerful.
An adorable and succinct look at the importance of self-confidence and positive self-evaluation in the life of a young person. Also, incredibly cute illustrations!
This is a beautifully illustrated book that does a wonderful job of showing just how strong and capable we are of facing our fears when we allow ourselves to truly shine. The limited color pallete and whimsical, textured artwork really evoke the almost magical quality of night - how something so deep and still can also be brimming with life and light. The message is sweet, simple, and stays with you after the last page is read.
Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for the eARC of this very enjoyable book!
I am obsessed with the illustrations of this book, but they weren't enough to carry it. I read it twice because I thought I missed something, but it truly was just insufficiently told. There was too much extrapolation asked of the reader. I wanted so badly to love it, but unfortunately, I cannot recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for giving me early access to this book! It is such a beautiful and short story. My kiddos fell in love with the pictures they saw, and they all had to come and get a closer look of it. They all gave it a thumbs up! Thank you!
The illustrations in this book are lovely, the message is really sweet as well, though I question a bit the likelihood of the “hero moment” without also becoming frog food.
What a beautiful story...the artwork and the story are perfect! I have loved reading since I was a child, and I love reading to my own children, and to kids in my classroom. I am always looking for stories that promote empathy and teaching children to be true to themselves, learning about the importance of the community they are in, and overcoming fears. The artwork was just breathtaking. I can't wait to add a copy of this to my classroom library!