Night Creatures: Firefly: An uplifting and lyrical story of light, hope, and wonder

by Robert Macfarlane, Luke Adam Hawker (Illustrator)

The first title in the forthcoming Night Creatures trilogy, created by two of the U.K.'s best- known book Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker.

From two of the U.K.'s best-known book makers, Robert Macfarlane and Luke Adam Hawker, comes a stunning picture book to ignite wonder in readers everywhere.

In the darkness of December,
Through the winter's deepest snowing,

When the world is steep in camber,
And all hope is downwards-flowing

Then's the time to seek what's glowing...

Written in lyrical verse, this story follows one sun-seeking child who discovers a meadow illuminated by "fallen constellations" that dance like stars among the summer grasses, setting fears to flight. Enchanting to read aloud and exquisite to hold in the hand, each scene is rendered in spellbinding detail, showing the power of hope in a world steeped in darkness.

The first in an upcoming trilogy, Firefly is sure to appeal to all ages
-An uplifting and lyrical story of light, hope, and wonder
-With words from beloved and bestselling author, Robert Macfarlane, creator of The Lost Words and The Lost Spells
-Stunning artwork created from original etchings by Luke Adam Hawker, whose debut book Together was a Sunday Times bestseller
-Spectacular gift book, cloth bound with a copper foiled cover
-This accessible story is perfect for children, and adults, ages 7 and above

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Fiction, Childrens, Nature, Art, Natural History

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 23, 2025

About the author

Robert Macfarlane is a British nature writer and literary critic.

Educated at Nottingham High School, Pembroke College, Cambridge and Magdalen College, Oxford, he is currently a Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and teaches in the Faculty of English at Cambridge.

Robert Macfarlane is the author of prize-winning and bestselling books about landscape, nature, people and place, including Mountains of the Mind: A History of a Fascination (2003), The Wild Places (2007), The Old Ways (2012), Holloway (2013, with Stanley Donwood and Dan Richards), Landmarks (2015), The Lost Words: A Spell Book (with the artist Jackie Morris, 2017) and Underland: A Deep Time Journey (2019). His work has been translated into many languages, won prizes around the world, and his books have been widely adapted for film, television, stage and radio. He has collaborated with artists, film-makers, actors, photographers and musicians, including Hauschka, Willem Dafoe, Karine Polwart and Stanley Donwood. In 2017 he was awarded the EM Forster Prize for Literature by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gorgeous picture book is a thing of beauty. From its night-dark cloth cover embossed with copper title and astral swarm of fireflies, to Robert Macfarlane’s lovely rhyming text in which the smallest points of light can combine to conquer the seemingly endless dark, to Luke Adam Hawsker’s stunning copper plate etching illustrations, Firefly is a beautiful, reassuring and comforting book to be treasured and revisited. A great start to 2026 and another year of wonderful books to come.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being on a week's holiday from work is a lovely thing - it allows me to read much more than when I am working full-time, and it especially allows me to read those quick, short, children's books which I currently have piling up.
This was a truly beautiful offering. I have interpreted it as being about finding light within the darkness, and recognising the beauty around you. The illustrations are fantastic - my edition came with a bonus print, and this is very fitting as there are many pages which I am sure people would be happy to frame and put on their wall.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were several Robert Macfarlanes. There is the nature enthusiast, the mountaineer, the lyrical campaigner, and there is the nature poet.

This is a book by the latter, of a piece with the lost words and lost spells. Words chosen with care and intensity. A lyrical message, beautifully illustrated and uplifting.

The sort of book to keep like a friend, and check in with when you need it.

[Elizabeth R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each page belongs in the Louvre.

[Anastasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whimsical pen and ink children’s book that reminds you to find and hold on to the light in dark times.

[Lata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetic. Uplifting. Hopeful.

Accompanied by stunning illustrations.

[Kirsten Paoline König · Rating 5 out of 5]

—-
Deze gelimiteerde speciale Waterstones-uitgave heeft een unieke gesigneerde print, die al te pronken hangt in mijn huisje. Wat een geweldig belated birthday gift van m’n boekenbestie 🖤

[LeaBeth | BookTime · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a whimsical story 💕

[Regina Barata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Texto poético, feito de sombras e luzes, de escuridão e constelações.
Quando à tua volta tudo é negro a natureza inspira-te e empurra-te para a luz.
Ilustrações belíssimas.

[Carlyn (The Bookworm Mum) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful and timely reminder to find the light in life. It made a gorgeous bedtime Christmas Eve story and opened up a conversation with my young son about what it meant.

[Mr. Shoemaker]

Read it aloud and this picture-book will transform into a pagan spell you may cast to set things in this world aright.

[Valeria Pérez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly loved this book. The illustrations are beyond artistic, they are magic. The words have been carefully chosen and each page can turn into your personal mantra. I’m so happy with this book.

[Merricat · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book. I have MacFarlane’s Lost words and the Lost Spells books and when I saw this I knew I needed to add to my collection.
It isn’t a long book at all and easy read for young readers for the most part. Although this book really seemed more a me book than a very young child’s book. Still I was read to as a child anything from little golden books to Dickens. And I read above my age level at a young age so probably depends on the child.
MacFarlane’s poem doesn’t speak to only winter weather but speaks to the times we stumble and fall down and lose our self confidence. Or maybe we never had any self confidence to begin with. The words just sounded like a small cheering section to me. To get up and go forward any way. Let your light shine!

The Hawker illustrations are beautiful. They are one of the reasons I ordered the book. Black and white drawings that pull you in. I have already marked another of his books to add to my shelf.

The book itself is beautifully clothbound in dark blue with copper lettering. The pages so thick I thought I may have some pages that were missed when the pages were cut. Everything about this book is lovely.

I read it. Look it over and read it again.

[Pawpaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugh my review got lost and it made me more bitter to write this review. But as a responsible adult, I'll review this with emotional stability.

The poems are bland and I don't think it'll touch the soul of 7 years old and above (like the book intended).

I'm a poet myself; I enjoy reading, listening, and writing poems. But I think it's the problem in the English language. I don't blame the author himself and I haven't read his other works yet. But every time, and I repeat, EVERY TIME I read a poem by native English speaker it's as bland as their cooking.

I have a friend who's great at poetry and her works live rent free in my mind. And guess what? English isn't her first language either. And I do enjoy translated works of many poems by other poets, especially The Mahmoud Darwish (so, no, it's not my big hatred for men). It's just the English language itself. It's stupid.

Why is it the basic language for people to use so people can communicate? (It's a rhetorical question, ik the answer. I'm smart. I'm a straight A student).

Hopefully that's all, thank you for coming to my TEDTalk about slandering this language.

[Audrey | WellReadandUndead(ish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

These illustrations were GORGEOUS. Read the book for those alone, honestly. This book is supposed to be uplifting when you have a hard time, I’m a similar style to The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse, but it was a little less clear. Because it took a lyrical, vague approach to potentially appeal to a wider set of circumstances that someone could find themselves in, the message didn’t feel as impactful. It was definitely sweet and encouraging, but I wish it had kept the thread it started in the beginning of fighting through cold and darkness to reach a summit and having to start again right before the end as a metaphor for life.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated and lyrically written. However, the language likely will not be as appealing to children as adults. For example, "When the world is steep in camber" or "So: trace and join the scintillations Of these fallen constellations" or "Become vast, radiant, incandescent.". Some of it may be cultural (British vs American English), but I also found myself thinking how much I would have to stop and explain things to a kid if I was reading it to them. So I'll enjoy it for myself instead.

[Jillian]

No rating

Read as an e-book

What happens when I forget to bring my next read to work? I turn to Hoopla and find stuff to read during the down times at work. Starting with Firefly by Robert Macfarlane.

I read a poetry collection by this author a couple of years ago and it was very good writing, but not one that sticks out in my memory. I feel the same about Firefly, a picture book written in a verse format. The writing flowed well, and the illustrations were gorgeous, but, as always, I'm not the target audience. I'm not going to get much else out of it besides that.

[Nicole Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

This gorgeous book is about so much more than fireflies but the spark of hope we search for in the darkness. The illustrations are stunning, the text lyrical, and the message of hope dearly needed in these difficult times. A wonderful book to show kids about nature; positivity, and that, although you might have to search, the light is always there. Recommended for everyone who needs it.

[Donna Nincic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been sick in bed for the last two days, so unhappy I had to cancel my last hike in the mountains this year. Firefly was the perfect book to shine hope into 2026:

Set fears to flight
set night on fire,
Fight off dread and drive back doubt,
Merge light within and light without -
Become vast, radiant, incandescent.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

A magnificently presented book with illustrations by Luke Adam Hawker. I found this through Hawker's posts on Instagram documenting his etching process - his preparatory drawings & the actual etching plates.
Very beautiful.

[R.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this poem would flow much better on a single page rather than split up between pages, but still, this is a beautiful, meditative work by Macfarlane and Hawker. Just the thing readers need in dark days.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a picture book is beautiful, and the stars are for the artwork. The poem is abit sophisticated for a kid, and may need some discussion around the meaning and the connection tot he artwork. But the poem is uplifting.

[Margarita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pure magic! A thoughtful story about trusting yourself to find the light in the dark.
The illustrations beautifully capture the emotions of not being afraid of the dark and of learning to look beyond and discover what the dark has to offer.

[Gisela Olsson · Rating 5 out of 5]

stunning beautifully artwork

[Julie Nicholson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book, wonderfully illustrated, full of words of hope.

[Zarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly illustrated by Luke Adam Hawker. Lovely words by Robert Macfarlane. 4.5 stars.

[Evelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a stunning, gorgeously illustrated book conveying a message of hope in the midst of darkness in sparse, succinct, lyrical, poetic language,

[Nadya · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful art and story

[Steve Rounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do children’s books make me cry

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gorgeous drawings told in verse, but I could not quite connect.