Glow: The Wild Wonders of Bioluminescence

by Jennifer N.R. Smith, Edith Widder (Contributor)

The astonishing phenomenon of bioluminescence is brought to life in vivid detail by scientific illustrator Jennifer N. R. Smith―featuring a colorful palette that seems to glow on the page. The natural world is an infinite source of wonder, and the phenomenon of bioluminescence is no exception. Glow explores the remarkable way creatures light up of their own accord, and what we can learn from their incredible glow-in-the-dark abilities. Written and illustrated by Jennifer N. R. Smith, Glow takes readers on a magical journey to the deepest ocean trenches, through winding networks of caves, and into the dark of the forest to experience the marvel of bioluminescence. The first in a series of nonfiction children’s books exploring natural phenomena, Glow introduces readers to creatures that glow in the dark, including anglerfish, firefly squid, lanternfish, the glowing sucker octopus, Flor de Coco, and Honey fungi, as well as hosts of fireflies and glowworms. It also celebrates the scientists and deep-sea explorers who have traveled to the darkest and most dangerous corners of the planet to study bioluminescence. Combining natural history with STEM, Glow considers how bioluminescence works and what we can learn from it, including ways to prevent climate change and tackle pollution. Illustrated in color throughout

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Picture Books, Nature, Animals, Childrens, Middle Grade

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 13, 2023

Reviews

[Frog]

I'm finding well illustrated children's books of information to be superior to their unnecessarily ramble-y counterparts for adults.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spectacular. Sprawling and luminous, with information and terminology explained in a digestible way for all ages.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so neat! The illustrations were fantastic and I learned quite a bit. Highly recommend.

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative with beautiful illustrations

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bioluminescence is the focus of this glowing, large scale picture books. The neon illustrations draw you into the pages of fascinating information about the science and history of bioluminescence. The book was printed using special UV techniques and a fifth spot color according to the publisher and this is why they seem to glow. The vivid and detailed book is a fascinating read that’s perfect for the nonfiction, ocean or science fan in your life.

[Julie Sigmund]

The oversized book made me think there would be amazing illustrations. I was disappointed. The text is also way too small.

Honestly I skimmed the book because I was so annoyed by text size.

[Daniela Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Optisch extravagant, inhaltlich informativ bis vielleicht etwas überfordernd

In 17 sehr kurzen Kapitel (jedes umfasst 2 Seiten, bis auf eines, das 4 Seiten umfasst) wird den jungen, interessierten Lesern das Phänomen der Biolumineszenz nähergebracht. Beispiele aus der Tier- und Pflanzenwelt zeigen auf, wie mittels Leuchten kommuniziert, Nahrung angelockt, Tarnung oder Verteidigung betrieben wird. Es gibt auch einen kleinen Exkurs in die Wissenschaft, also wie das Naturleuchten genutzt werden kann.

Ein Buch, das zweifelsohne zunächst durch seine Größe und das ausgesprochen schöne Cover auffällt. Das setzt sich auch innen fort, wo es viele recht schöne Zeichnungen gibt, allesamt in leuchtend anmutenden Farben. Die Farben leuchten nicht wirklich, sind aber in grün, rot, gelb, blau gehalten und so gestaltet, dass man sich das Leuchten zumindest vorstellen kann. Ich hätte es MEGA TOLL gefunden, wenn zumindest das Cover mit Glow in the Dark Farben gestaltet worden wäre. Das gibt es bei anderen Büchern bereits und für ein Buch dieses Themas bietet sich das ja regelrecht an. Die Informationen sind kurz und knapp gehalten, was ich gut finde. Jedes Kapitel hat auf der rechten Seite Abbildungen. Also ein großes Bild bestehend aus diversen Abbildungen, gesammelt in einer Art Fensterumrandung. Die Abbildungen sind nummeriert und unter dem Bild stehen dann die Bezeichnungen. Mir erschließt sich lediglich oftmals der Sinn nicht, weil zu den Abbildungen sonst nichts erklärt wird. Auch stehen da oftmals die lateinischen Namen, die nicht übersetzt sind, wie z.B. Filoboletus Manipularis oder Mycena Luxaeterna, Olindias Formosa oder Maristella Chicoi. Das finde ich schon schade. Ich habe Bilder und Bezeichnungen, mit denen ich so gar nichts anfangen kann, weil sie nicht erklärt oder in den Kontext gebracht sind.

Fazit: für Fans der reinen sachlichen Information ohne nennenswerten Unterhaltungswert ein tolles Sachbuch. Wer Wissen lieber auf unterhaltsame, lebendige, mitreißende Art vermittelt bekommt (so wie ich, ich finde, Wissen und Lernen MUSS Spaß machen), eher nicht so. Optisch echt eine Kanone und 5 Sterne wert (mit Glow in the Dark-Cover sogar 10 Sterne), die Umsetzung der Wissensvermittlung für mich deutlich ausbaufähig. Daher letztlich 3,5 von 5 Sterne, wobei ich in Ermangelung halber Sterne auf 4 aufrunde.

[V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glow is a comprehensive look at bioluminescence. The entire book is visually stunning. Each page appears to be luminescent. And full-page Haeckel-like plates display specimens that represent the topic on the adjacent page. Once bioluminescence (the concept and the components of the word itself) has been thoroughly explained, Smith clarifies the many ways in which animals and plants use bioluminescence, how they produce it, and the myriad life forms that do so. Smith further differentiates between bioluminescence and biofluorescence, which wombats have, for example. Glow concludes with an overview of noteworthy scientist connected with luminescent discoveries, man's understanding of luminescence over time, and a map showing luminescent life forms across the planet. Every question that I could conceive of - and then some- has been addressed. The images catch the attention, and the direct, conversational tone engages readers at every level. Just as interesting to a preschooler as to an adult, Glow meets readers where they are. I recommend it unreservedly.

A comprehensive look at light-producing life, Glow captivates and educates readers of any age - time will stand still as you explore this extraordinary world.

[Mabearbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you know the difference between bioluminescence, biofluroescence and phosphorescence? Yep, they are all different! Or did you know that it's not just creatures of the deep that glow, some of our furry land-dwellers also have the ability to glow? And who would have thought that a small little creature like plankton, aided by bioluminesce helped the British Navy to sink a German submarine in World War 1? No? Maybe? Huh? Then this is definitely a book to have in any classroom or on any bookshelf at home. This book is interesting to read, it is filled with illuminating information and the bright glowing illustrations are sure to captivate the reader's attention. It is filled with well set out and easy to read sections that are explained simply in words and with diagrams and there is a glossary at the back of the book to help with understanding any scientific jargon or uncommon words. A really fascinating book!

[Ellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars (I really liked it)

Okay, first of all, this book is absolutely beautiful!

Then, it has so much cool information in it! I remember the first time I experience bioluminescence during a dive. It was so cool!

My dislikes of the book: the large size. As a librarian, this is just annoying. Like I likely will not purchase this book for my school library because it will be a pain to shelve and students wont be able to put the book in their backpacks.
I was also meh about some of the illustration panels that showed animals but didn't really explain why they were included in that section.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are fantastic! My students love oversized books so this book will be a big hit in my library. Bioluminescence is a bit of a complicated subject matter, so the text might be too advanced for most young scientists, but the illustrations more than makeup for that. I loved the numbering of the illustrations so you can tell exactly what is pictured and the inclusion of a glossary and index. I just wish it had a resources page-that is always the mark of an excellent nonfiction book, in my opinion.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot express just how visually resplendent this book is. The illustrations -- from the cover, to the electric green endpapers, to every spot illustration, to huge full-bleed spreads -- are incredible. The information is fascinating -- who doesn't want to learn more about bioluminescence? This is an oversized book with a very tall trim size which allows for studying the amazing illustrations closer. The text is written in a way that makes it easy to read parts or the whole thing.

[Laura Scribner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I’m taking credit for reading this.

It was interesting, but super simplified for small children, which makes sense since they are the target audience. That being said, which the scientific descriptions were very basic (but still interesting!), there were so many latin names being tossed around, it did make me wonder exactly what age the target audience is. I suppose it’s better to use them than to not.

The illustrations are AMAZING.

[Brianna Steinman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchasing a copy of this for myself right now but so grateful the library introduced me to this beauty! What a great book. As someone who has always been fascinated with bioluminescence, this book captivated my attention even at 33 years old. The format of the pages is set up beautifully, the book itself is massive in size and my eyes felt like they couldn't drink the information in fast enough.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me by just how large it is! It is one of the tallest books I have ever had my hands on. The cover draws you in with its fascinating colors and illustrations. The illustrations inside are beautiful as well. The entire book teaches you about bioluminescence and includes a timeline towards the end.

[Holly Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 stars. This book will not stay on the shelves. Not only is it oversized, it is full of eye popping illustrations and vibrant luminescent colors. Overflowing with facts which are juxtaposed with gorgeous plates that illustrate the information provided on the left page, students will spend hours combing through each and every page. For me, this is a must-buy book for my library.

[Laetitia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible book! The content is very interesting and the illustrations are stunning. I learned a lot and tried to sit with every double page to really appreciate all the work that went into it.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is gorgeous. Every year, I have students who are fascinated by lightning bugs or angler fish, so this book will be a welcome addition to my classroom library.

[Cecile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another potentially great book ruined by evolutionary theory. Child was not interested in reading.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most beautiful book I've read this year. Stunning, mesmerising illustrations. Though aimed at younger readers, I'm sure that readers of all ages will feel a sense of wonder for the natural world.

[R.C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible illustrations accompany seriously fascinating facts! I can’t overstate how gorgeous and interesting this book is. Definitely worth taking one’s time with!

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned SO much!

[Ginette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Platypuses are biofluorescence! There, that's a thing you know now.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! Read it with the kid and we both had a great time.

[Robert Ellington · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I got this book on our visit to Congaree National Park. Fascinating read!

[Sonia Di Pietra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Libri bellini da regalare a bambini 🔦

[Jessi Riel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! The illustrations are AMAZING.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes children’s books can be wonderful primers on new subjects for adults. This one had lots of interesting facts and very appealing large-format illustrations.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Luv :D

Lot's of fun diagrams and information. Definitely recommend! Colour scheme is beautiful (I love that fire breathing shrimp, it looks majestic)

[Halon W · Rating 4 out of 5]

the text was a little small for my eyes, but the info presented was delightfully dense. the art and colour choices were absolutely stunning!