Awards

Reviews

“In Nutt’s debut, a magical encounter with fireflies helps a young girl overcome her fear of nighttime shadows. When Amy notices the glow outside her shadowy bedroom, she goes on a nighttime foray armed with a jar. Her childish enthusiasm and excitement are palpable as she collects the fireflies, the jar lighting the way back to her room. But, “With her eyes on the jar, / from the base to the rim, / she was suddenly saddened, / for the light had gone dim.” Unscrewing the cover for a closer look frees the fireflies, and they regain their glow. And with their light outside, Amy is finally able to relax and sleep. . . . The illustrations blend the realism of photographs with the softer look of paint, creating a whole that is warm and shows depth and texture. His artwork excels at portraying the contrast between shadow and light, with the light sources positively glowing. Sweet, with lovely artwork.”

— Kirkus Reviews (April 2010)

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From the opening lines of his brief prologue, Robert Nutt transports readers into the warm, seemingly endless evenings of summer, evoking idyllic memories of childhood past. Written in sweet, simple verse, perfect for reading aloud, Amy’s Light is a dazzlingly illustrated tale of a young girl who, fascinated by the dancing of fireflies that illuminate the night outside her window, triumphs over her fear of darkness and ventures out, drawn to their glimmering lights. The digital illusions Nutt has created with the photo-illustrations of his daughter Amy are utterly enchanting and intensify the magical allure of this picture book. The book closes with additional information about fireflies and a note from the author, as well as instructions for downloading a Flash video version of the story, narrated by Nutt’s other daughter, Christina.

— The Bloomsbury Review (Summer 2010)

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“Using enhanced photographs of his daughter enacting the story line, Nutt tells of a girl named Amy who becomes scared of the dark until she sneaks outside to capture some fireflies in a jar. Their light dims in captivity; no longer afraid but fearful for their safety, she sets them free. . . beautifully rendered photo-illustrations. . . .”

— School Library Journal (April 2010)

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“Amy’s Light follows Amy on her journey through an especially dark night. We start with Amy’s terror as she hides from the shadows on her walls and end with her realization that she has within herself the ability to keep the shadows at bay. On this path, we discover and explore and learn about the world around us while working through Amy’s fear.

Even amid Amy’s fright, the light of fireflies draws her outside where she dances in the joy of the mysterious wonder. Amy captures the fireflies in a jar and brings them back to her room to help illuminate the darkness, but in captivity, the fireflies being to dim. Amy, realizing this, lets them go and discovers she doesn’t need them after all.

Amy’s Light is highly recommended for younger children who love discovering the wonders of nature. It’s playful rhyme and succinct text makes it approachable and fun to read aloud, and the photo-illustrations based on the author’s daughter will draw children in and help them relate to the main character. Customers can expect to read this one many times over.”

— New Age Retailer – P. J. Hoover (March 2010)