Luminous: Living Things That Light Up the Night

by Julia Kuo

Kids 4 to 8 will marvel at the brightly glowing creatures and other living organisms in this stunning, poetic, and science-based exploration of bioluminescence.

When it’s dark out, we need light to see. But what if your body could make its own light?

From acclaimed author-illustrator Julia Kuo comes a remarkable picture book about bioluminescence, the light made from living things, and its many forms: fireflies and foxfire, fungi and glow-worms, deep-sea fish and vampire squids.

Kuo’s radiant art portrays a young child and adult discovering different bioluminescent creatures, accompanied by simple lyrical text and informative sidebars that reveal fascinating scientific facts about each of them.

An introduction to an extraordinary natural phenomenon, Luminous shines a light upon how truly wondrous the world is.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Nature, Animals, Stem, Childrens

44 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2022

About the author

Julia Kuo is a Taiwanese-American illustrator who has worked with the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Google. She has taught illustration courses at Columbia College Chicago and at her alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis. Julia was the visual arm of Chicago's 2017 March for Science and has had the honor of being an artist-in-residence at Banff Centre for the Arts in 2014 and in 2017. She is the recipient of a 2019-2020 Gray Center Mellon Collaborative Fellowship.

Her most recent book is "I Dream of Popo" by Livia Blackburne, published by Macmillan.

www.juliakuo.com

Reviews

[Panda Incognito · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are lovely, and this book is suitable for both young children and school-age children, depending on whether or not you just read the rhymes or also read the informational parts that appear on each page.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over three-quarters of all the animals in the open ocean make their own light. Fascinating book highlighting some of these creatures: worms, snails, sea stars, fish, even sharks.

The angler fish is drawn to look quite scary and takes up 2 pages. There is no scale, so this could be monstrous in size. So this book could actually be very frightening for its young intended reader.

Nice explanation of facts sparsely occur on each page.

But the lack of any scale (like drawing a scuba diver next to every single creature) would:
- show that most of these are small
- near a diver, would help lessen some fear too

3.5* that I'll round down to 3 per the side-effect of the fear this book can accidentally produce!

[Des Larsen || AdventuresOfToday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book, a bite sized bioluminescence lesson. Perfect for today's youths in science (and the adults with youthful sparks). Also hosts so many gorgeous illustrations. Something for everyone.

[Andrea Lorenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book weaving science and story together. The illustrations paired with the bioluminescent factoids make this an excellent read. Mother and daughter explore the world of animals and plants that light up the night. Toying with the idea of a glow in the dark storytime theme and this would be perfect for it.

[Eule Luftschloss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some things you can only see in the dark.

As the title suggests, this short but sweet book takes a look at things, organisms, who are able to produce their own light. I came for pretty pictures and was not disappointed.

What else I liked is that the author does not shy away from using long, multisyllable words like bioluminescence. Children lack the knowledge, not the ability to understand something that is properly explained.

Would recommend this either to young readers or people of all ages looking for beautiful art.
The arc was provided by the publisher.

[Hajira Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luminous is a delightful and engaging book with vivid illustrations. It beautifully explains the importance of light, and explains how we are not the only ones who need light to see (or for other purposes throughout life) through facts!

[Sarah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful pictures that really play with the light & darkness. Excellent info on bioluminescence, but doesn’t flow very well. Still definitely recommend.

[Cori Stenning-Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated children’s book that can be read on two different levels. I thought it was clever that they had short sentences with large font to go with each illustration so you could read this as a story to younger children, but with a longer paragraph about the science behind the different bioluminescent creatures which could be read to older kids or children who want to know more!

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite kind of non-fiction picture book about the natural world, with a bigger line of text communicating a main idea and small text accompanying the illustration on each page to add intrigue and specificity. The format makes this kind of book easy to use in storytime as well as satisfying for one on one readings. Gorgeously illustrated, mysterious and inspiring.

Themes: Bioluminescence, Earth, Nature
Age range: Toddler-Early elementary

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars--Delightful, magical nature book celebrates the bioluminescent life all around us. Fireflies are but one small example of the bioluminescent creatures who live on land and sea. I enjoyed the illustrations and the depiction of parent and child gently observing the natural world around them.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful picture book on an interesting topic, but I wish that the scientific information had been presented as backmatter, as it really disrupted the flow of the text.

[Shreya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiny, beautiful book on bioluminescent creatures. I didn't know about the glow worm caves in New Zealand, I'm hoping to see them once in my lifetime :)

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this is a fascinating book with broad audience appeal.

Kuo (author and illustrator) writes a quiet, understated book about the ability some living things have to create light. The pages are dark black on matte paper. We follow a mother-child pair through various natural settings as they encounter fireflies, fungi, fish and more.

There is larger font text that tells a story and then smaller font text that explains the science. Here is a description of two open pages (recto verso):

Large font: "You could gleam on the forest floor." Small font: "Foxfire, or fairy fire, is light made by bioluminescent fungi growing and glowing on rotting wood." The illustration above depicts a log laden with mushrooms, which is set amid lush growing plants such as ferns. At each end of the log is a person: the child on our left and the adult on our right. They are looking at the glowing fungi with expressions of wonder and delight.

Each page is detailed and engaging in a similar manner. The tone is such that it would work as a bedtime book--particularly with the black matte pages suggesting nighttime.

Because this book has layers--images, large font that tells a story and small font that conveys a lot of detail--I would choose this book as a coffee table book. My younger houseguests would pick it up and glean something from thumbing through (prereaders / early readers) or reading just the text that is accessible to them. Older children would point and read to adults about their findings, probably asking adults to explain the words and concepts that are a bit beyond them. Teens and adults would certainly discover some bioluminescent creatures that did not come across their paths prior.

Oh, I want to read this again before I go to sleep. It's a more scientific version of Goodnight, Moon!

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this beautifully beguiling picture book, Kuo introduces younger readers to the wonder of bioluminescence. The book, as our guide, features a tan-skinned parent and child who explore the woods and the ocean to discover different creatures that make their own light.

The illustrations, bravely placed upon full-black spreads, are glittered with turquoise and vermilion creatures and plant life, and it makes for an experience that feels as close as you're going to get to walking outside at night. The text, both simple and poetic, is accompanied by brief expository paragraphs that provide scientific information/definitions that are helpful yet not too challenging for the young reader. The illustrations also show the beauty of bioluminescence in the form of fireflies, foxfire, glowworms, and sea creatures with incandescent lines tracing their filaments and tentacles.

The book encourages readers to look closely when it's dark and to appreciate the incredible world of bioluminescent creatures. The visual appeal of this book is sure to draw readers in and provide an unforgettable introduction to a fascinating aspect of the natural world. I immediately wanted to share it with my own children and it would make for an excellent class share.

[The Silvan Reverie | Sarah Street · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Luminous is as gorgeous and engaging as it first appears. This book is a stunning celebration of bioluminescence, the light made from many living things. The narrative has a lyrical rhythm to it as you flip through the mostly black pages featuring fireflies, foxfire, fungi, glowworms, deep sea fish and much more.

In addition to the main narrative text, each page contains just a couple brief sentences as a sidebar explaining the science of this natural phenomenon.

Luminous is a wonderful celebration of the wonders of nature in a unique format. Kids will marvel and their imagination will be activated as they peruse these pages.

The illustrations feature a young child and mother using their imagination and exploring our world through hiking, kayaking, swimming and more. I appreciate the color palette of the illustrations and just the overall sense of wonder on the character’s faces. It really helps engage the reader and make this book one to revisit.

***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Greystone Kids. Opinions are my own.

[Maria Wen Adcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this picture book written and illustrated by Taiwanese-American author-illustrator Julia Kuo, a young girl and her mother explore the luminous world around them of living things that light up the night. I love books for my kids that are both great stories and also educational. Throughout the story, there are paragraphs in a small font that indicates they are there to explain and support the storyline. I like that the explanations are right there on the page instead of the back so that I can pause and discuss with my daughter what's going on in the picture. Flipping back and forth if the explanations were in the back of the book would be too distracting. The black background of the pages is very striking and serves to support the text about things that illuminate at night. As an Asian American reader, it's great that my daughter is able to see someone who looks like her and her family in the book -- a tan-skin girl with her tan-skin mother. I recommend this book!

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this introduction to bioluminescence. Printed on thick black paper, the text includes a single phrase or sentence per spread, written in second person, asking the reader to look around, to imagine, to wonder what could be done if your body produced its own light. The blue bioluminescent light shimmers off each page. The illustrations also include a woman and child exploring at night, first in a forest and then, later, in the ocean, on a kayak or scuba diving, where many of these creatures are found. An informational paragraph in a smaller font on each spread provides some facts about the creatures on that page or bioluminescence in general. Did you know that scientists are discovering more bioluminescent creatures every year? This book is sure to ignite a child's imagination and curiosity, whether they are preschoolers and listening to just the main text, or older elementary students wanting to learn more about these creatures.

[Alyssa N]

I found this book highlighted at my local library and was instantly intrigued. It works well for both lower and higher grade levels. With its story within a story, the vocabulary is challenging enough to bring into higher elementary school grades and the content is exciting enough to keep the attention of younger readers.

Though the narrator nor the characters are named, you can infer through the illustrations that an older woman, perhaps a mom, is telling this story to a younger child. The story discusses the types of lights and the wondrous things we could do if our own body were to make light. The book discusses the amazing feats of bioluminescent animals around the world while also giving scientific facts and supporting information in the subtext of the story.

The illustrations are captivating and bright, drawing the reader in to the darkness in order to see the beauty behind the light.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. Kuo introduces young readers to the amazing kind of light called bioluminescence, the light created within the bodies of living creatures. Combining an introductory text in larger font with additional explanatory text in smaller font the book works well with both older and younger elementary students. A variety of creatures produce bioluminescence including foxfire (fungi), glowworms, deep-sea anglerfish, and the crown jellyfish. It's fascinating to consider all the remarkable ways that creatures have found to use the light their bodies create; distraction, hunting, and camouflage. The digitally created illustrations follow a mother and daughter as they explore the natural world. The dark background allows the light emanating from the creatures to stand out wonderfully. A brief reminder of the dangers of light pollution closes out this great introduction to light by reminding readers to take the time to enjoy the natural world. While I would have appreciated some back matter, the book still makes a great read. Highly recommended.

[Elizabeth]

This book is really visually beautiful.  I'm trying to think of what it reminds me of.

The author is Taiwanese-American, and I heard about this book from a Jan 3, 2023, Book Riot Kids email:

Do you subscribe to School Library Journal? I have written for SLJ in the past, and I was disturbed by this post from author and illustrator Julia Kuo about how they white-washed characters from her most recent book Luminous in a review of the book, and when she and her editorial team asked for it to be corrected, SLJ refused. I won't lie: I'm flabbergasted and appalled by their response. I wrote the editor I've worked with in the past about my concerns and received no response. I know a lot of librarians read SLJ and subscribe to this newsletter. Are you concerned about this, too?

[wordjellyreview · Rating 5 out of 5]

“LUMINOUS’ Living Things That Light Up the Night, by author illustrator Julia Kuo is a mesmerizing book that will transport its readers into a world where living things create their own light. 

With spellbinding illustrations, author/illustrator Julia Kuo introduces kids to the concept of bioluminescence, where a mother and child discovers this natural phenomenon. The book explains how living things like fireflies, foxfire, fungi, glowworms & other deep-sea fish make their own light in darkness to collect food or protect themselves from enemies. The book will encourage its readers to imagine the spaces unknown, like the deep dark ocean, and think about what would happen if we could produce our own light. I will recommend this book to young and old readers, as this spectacular, spellbinding book will spark curiosity in every mind- #wordjellyreview

[Teaching Little Fishies · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it’s dark out, we need light to see. But what if your body could make its own light?

Julia Kuo presents a beautiful text in which we are able to explore the dark world of ‘bioluminescence’. The calming illustrations provide a relaxing journey as the reader follows the wonderings of a woman and girl as they uncover this amazing world. Throughout the book there are little paragraphs teaching us the scientific explanations of each animal, plant, fungi or bacteria and how they use their ‘glow’.

I would recommend this book for all ages! A truly great book!

Teaching Point:
Teaching hybrid texts! Luminous is another great example of how to create a simple and effective hybrid text (non-fiction and fiction). A perfect text to model for primary school ages writers.

[Sarah Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!! As a marine microbiologist who loves all things tiny in the ocean, this book was like a love letter to dinoflagellates and bacteria and jellyfish (oh my! ;) )

The story is scalable for your audience. With the addition of the scientific facts in digestible pieces - you can learn a lot from this book about how light energy is generated in living things. But if you want to just enjoy the illustrations and read to a younger audience, you can follow the story without the science blurbs. I love the dark imagery throughout the whole book. It visually emphasizes how amazing these creatures are.

This is a book I would enthusiastically buy for a gift for my colleagues and kids interested in marine science

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it's dark outside, we need something to make light so we can see. Maybe a street lamp or a flashlight. But what if we could make our own light? Millions of creatures use bioluminescence for a variety of reasons. Some use it to attract a mate or prey; others use it to startle or confuse their own prey. Or it might even be a distress signal. Viewing bioluminescenct creatures or plants in any form can be a wondrous thing to see. But you have to be patient and observant - and find a dark place without too much artificial light - in order to see them.
This book is a great introduction to living things that create their own light - and the author does a nice job of defining words that readers might be unfamiliar with - like predator, prey, and - of course - bioluminescence!

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

The visual aspects of this book are necessarily dark and intense, incorporating subtle but fascinating elements that suggested lighted areas within living things. The break-away sidebar text was effectively clear but brief, incorporating definitions as needed and allowing for both learning and the launch for further information. My sense is that young readers will experience "magical" excitement about out natural world and seek to learn more, observe more, and preserve the "dark sky" we are rapidly losing.,

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan Kuo tells readers about how different animals use bioluminescence in different ways. I had no idea that "[o]ver [3/4] of all the animals in the open ocean make their own light." I really like non-fiction books with different parts that allow you to adapt it based on the audience and their attention span. Despite no photographs, Kuo's digital illustrations convey the scenes very well. I wish the lines about each living thing were in slightly bigger font since the periwinkle color can blend in like the animals.

[Michelle Cusolito · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inviting first book about bioluminescence. I love the mat black pages and limited color palette. As an ocean science nerd, I especially love the pages about bioluminescence in the ocean. My favorite page is the jeweled squid page.

It's also an excellent companion book to be read with my books, Flying Deep and Diving Deep. I plan to share it with schools and libraries when I do author visits.

[Megan]

This non-fiction picture book about bioluminescence works well for a variety of ages. The larger text could be read on its own for those with shorter attention spans, and the smaller text could be read whenever there is a desire for more information. The illustrations (all on dark backgrounds) are stunning, and I like that the books highlights specific species as well as providing more general information about the topic.

[Beth Bissmeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to bioluminescence and what natural wonders we can find when we know how to look. Julia Kuo's animal illustrations atop black backgrounds are striking and beautiful. The lyrical text with easy-to-understand factual asides make for an engaging read, perfect for any young reader curious about science and nature.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, engaging and informative book that readers will love. It follows the same format as the Nature Storybook series, with a story being told in one font, and accompanying facts & information and in a different font.

I want to read mine in the dark to see if the illustrations glow in the dark. If it doesn't - it is a missed opportunity!