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Shine
Fathers finally gain proper recognition in this engaging story that will delight small sons and daughters as well as dads everywhere. Jimmy knows it's his father's job, with tools in hand, to light up everything from Christmas trees to basketball courts to lighthouses. Yet, now that it's Jimmy's turn to shine as the Star of Bethlehem in the Christmas pageant, he can only hope his busy father will be there to see him. After all, how can he possibly light up the stage if Dad isn't in the audience? Simple words and warm, expressive illustrations work together to reveal how adults and children light up each other's lives.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 17, 2024
United Kingdom husband and wife team Karen (text) and Jonathan (images) Langley present with their 2002 picture book Shine a sweet and nicely engaging Yuletide story, showcasing both verbally and visually, both textually and illustratively main protagonist Jimmy and his experiences leading up to and during his school Christmas pageant. And cast as the Star of Bethlehem in the play, Jimmy in Shine is shown with both words and artwork as diligently practicing every day (basically trying to glow and sparkle like the star he is supposed to be playing), and that Jimmy also asks for his single father's promise to come and watch the performance (and with Dad pledging to do his best with regard to attending, although as an electrician, his responsibilities of maintaining the lights in their town's clock tower, sports arenas, lighthouse, on the Christmas Tree etc. mean actually being on call during the Christmas pageant and thus perhaps having to miss his son's performance). But when Jimmy's moment of stardom comes in Shine (and yes, with a bit of a pun intended here by me), he is illuminated by multiple flashlights to indicate his role as the Star of Bethlehem and with Jimmy's father (who in fact has been able to make it to the pageant) being shown in the audience beaming brightly and wonderfully with parental pride and huge appreciation.
So yes, with Shine the Langleys' combination of narrative and artwork present a loving single-parent household (father, son and also the grandmother, who helps out with Jimmy when the father is on call in the evenings or at night) and whose interactions are warmly textually described and delightfully illustrated with white-bordered gentle cartoon settings often showing background details such as Jimmy's father searching for the flashlight he needs for work and the family cat's startled reaction when the telephone rings. But just to say with a huge sigh of painful expectation (although of course also hoping for the opposite) that in parts of the United States, in Social Conservative states like Florida, Texas, Idaho, Utah etc., the UK based and themed Shine could in my opinion easily fall afoul of moronic book banners and hate-mongers upset with for example father and son being illustrated by Jonathan Langley as taking a bath together, oh horror, oh woe, that in one scene of Shine featuring the preparations for the Christmas pageant, Jimmy is pictured only wearing his undergarments (as he is in the process of changing into his Star of Bethlehem costume) and of course that Jimmy as the Star of Bethlehem wears a long dress-like robe could likely freak out some religiously fanatic puritans, who would consider this cross-dressing, and not to mention that there might also be an outcry when Karen Langley verbally describes Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus as as snuggling, as cuddling each other during the Christmas pageant and that the student portraying Joseph in Shine is brown skinned while Mary and Baby Jesus are light skinned. But yes, solidly four stars for both text and images in Shine and highly recommended as a sweet and lovely Christmas story (and one where a single father is the main caregiver as well).
So yes, with Shine the Langleys' combination of narrative and artwork present a loving single-parent household (father, son and also the grandmother, who helps out with Jimmy when the father is on call in the evenings or at night) and whose interactions are warmly textually described and delightfully illustrated with white-bordered gentle cartoon settings often showing background details such as Jimmy's father searching for the flashlight he needs for work and the family cat's startled reaction when the telephone rings. But just to say with a huge sigh of painful expectation (although of course also hoping for the opposite) that in parts of the United States, in Social Conservative states like Florida, Texas, Idaho, Utah etc., the UK based and themed Shine could in my opinion easily fall afoul of moronic book banners and hate-mongers upset with for example father and son being illustrated by Jonathan Langley as taking a bath together, oh horror, oh woe, that in one scene of Shine featuring the preparations for the Christmas pageant, Jimmy is pictured only wearing his undergarments (as he is in the process of changing into his Star of Bethlehem costume) and of course that Jimmy as the Star of Bethlehem wears a long dress-like robe could likely freak out some religiously fanatic puritans, who would consider this cross-dressing, and not to mention that there might also be an outcry when Karen Langley verbally describes Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus as as snuggling, as cuddling each other during the Christmas pageant and that the student portraying Joseph in Shine is brown skinned while Mary and Baby Jesus are light skinned. But yes, solidly four stars for both text and images in Shine and highly recommended as a sweet and lovely Christmas story (and one where a single father is the main caregiver as well).
February 10, 2017
A simple & warm book to share, esp. with kids involved in a holiday play!
January 28, 2014
My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library this week.
This is a sweet little book that really isn't a story. I thought the author might tie the father's job and dedication and love for his son with the son's performance as a star, and it was hinted at the illustrations, but it didn't quite go far enough. We said "aww" a lot, but ended up scratching our heads.
This is a sweet little book that really isn't a story. I thought the author might tie the father's job and dedication and love for his son with the son's performance as a star, and it was hinted at the illustrations, but it didn't quite go far enough. We said "aww" a lot, but ended up scratching our heads.
December 14, 2009
This is a pretty nice story with cute illustrations about a boy's Christmas play. There are some subtleties which little kids won't get, but still enjoyable for my 3 1/2 y/o.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews