By Lena Sjöberg
Translated from the Swedish
Expected publication: January 14, 2020
Mom's Review
Ask three different people what Bright in the Night is about, and you'll get three different answers. T will tell you it's about spooky stories. Different guests would have told you that it's about different life forms that create light, and I am telling you that it's an inspiration to explore the nighttime world. None of us is wrong. There are a couple legends about ghosts/mysterious lights. Bioluminescence in the plant and animal world is explained with myriad examples. T, his friends, and I all want to find and see different plants, insects, or animals featured in the book. If not for the pack of coyotes howling in the woods last night, I'd be sorely tempted to take T on a nighttime hike to see what tapetum lucidum we could discover with our flashlights. (I'm pleased to have learned the term for when critters' eyes shine back at you – tapetum lucidum is the "special reflecting layer at the back of their eyes.")
The content is interesting; the language accessible to readers of all ages. The illustrations are appealing; bright lights shine out from a dark page. The text, however, is challenging to read. The pages are dark, and the text is small and not much lighter than the page. Several guests to the house have commented on this when their children or T have asked to be read Bright in the Night. If it were easier to see the words, I would recommend it unreservedly. If you have trouble reading fine print or low-contrast, you might consider the use of a magnifying glass.
Son's Review
(Age: 4)
On what he liked:
I like learning about the spooky lights. I wanna see another spooky part.
On what it's about:
Glowing lights. The Lantern Man. It's about spooky stories and lights. It has some beliefs [legends].
Note: Thames and Hudson provided a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
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