Sweet, succinct delight.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an e-arc of Shine, a beautiful new children's book. It is the perfect length and has a lovely little tale. The illustrations are an interesting slightly different color scheme than what you often see and I liked that it lends itself so well to the story.

Slightly inspirational, as the best children's books are, touches on home, family, safety etc. I felt it could have been a little more clear plotwise but it is more of a folk tale variety it seems and doesn't go into much depth due to the age group for which it seems intended.

All in all a sweet story with interesting artsy folkish graphics/pictures.

As a moth enthusiast, this picture book was right up my alley. I loved the illustration style, especially the night sky depictions which aren't in many picture books. The story did a great job of showing how to handle and overcome or live with a fear of the dark, and I loved the details of moth's camouflage.

Shine follows a moth who is afraid of the dark but loves the stars. I love the message of doing things even when one is afraid and how it highlights the importance of community. The color palate is showcased on the cover and the following illustrations are complex which pairs nicely with the simple, lyrical text.

I’m excited to share this book with my friends who teach little ones!

The illustrations and color palette for this book are beautiful. The cover is so cute and it will definitely grab the attention of young readers. The text is simple, which will allow emerging readers to read it independently.

I was charmed from start to finish with this simple story of a lightning bug learning to face his fears - notably that of the dark! The illustrations by Mexican artist Bruno Valasse truly elevate the narrative. The color palate is vibrant but minimal - limited to gold, teal, and rust along with black and white. The first person narrative keeps the universal personal and is full of heart. The opening lines capture it all, " This is a story about stars. No, it's a story about fear. Or maybe it's a story about me? Actually, this is a story about all of those things."

Many thanks to NetGalley for access to this early-release digital edition.

Shine discusses overcoming one's fears by relying on friends, families, and community. The only reason I wouldn't advise students to purchase this book is because there is somewhat of a scary scene where some of the moth's friends are eaten by frogs and that could be somewhat scary for much younger students. Otherwise, Valasse does a great job of showing how to rely on one's community to overcome their fears of the dark.

The illustration and overall style of this book is one that I think is really on trend in popular right now. However, I think the story overall is a bit lacking. I think there are a few spots that could use some expansion, particularly in reinforcing the message of working together and shining. The story feels a bit empty, but the overall look I think could make it a briefly popular book in my library.

Shine was a very beautiful and moving picture book. This is geared towards kids but I think adults will love this just as much. The illustrations were gorgeous. I found myself immersed in the beautifulness of those illustrations. The story was so touching that it brought some joy to this black-hearted one.

Sometimes all we need to do is face our fears head-on and it's even better if we have friends in our corner.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Follow a little moth boy as he wanders in the darkness outside. The full moon tempts him to go out, and he does, but something sinister lurks there, too. He plays around with other fireflies, who all venture toward the open sea and lighthouse. It's a quick and straightforward read for youngsters who enjoy things at night. "Shine" shows that no matter how dark it is, there's always light at the end of the tunnel. A fascinating read.

Lovely art but our customers don't always respond well to dark pallets.
The story might be a little esoteric for our customers too.
I think the book is really gorgeously rendered but the message seemed too elusive for the intended audience .

I love the art work and illustrations. They are all so phenomenal! I know my students would enjoy looking at the pictures of the brave moth and scary frogs!

I felt like this book had so much potential that it didn’t live up to. Fear and anxiety are great topics that are not often addressed in young children and this would be a great resource to read about overcoming those obstacles and being our best self. However, the book skipped around too quickly to the end and I didn’t feel like it made a lot of sense overall and glossed over the theme. Maybe I missed something?

My 7 year old liked the illustrations , he liked that it looked like colored pencil. He liked the creepy frogs. He thought the moth was cool.

Shine by Bruno Valasse is a delightfully charming and heartwarming story about a moth, some fireflies, fears, and stars. With the help of some firefly friends, the moth is able to overcome his fear of the dark and shine brightly in the sky for others to see. This brilliantly illustrated book is full of morals and feel-good messages. The perfect book when we are feeling just a little bit too small.

Stunning! This was another one in which the artwork really wows. I loved the color palette and simple composition of the text with the rich complexity of the illustrations. I did get a little lost in the narrative toward the middle, but that didn't take too much away from the overall experience.

I love the message behind this story to embrace one’s authentic self. The illustration style is representative of the message and sets a great tone for the story.

I think will be a great book to initiate conversations with young ones about overcoming fears and finding confidence in oneself.

I do feel a little as though it is missing something. It seemed a bit rushed or lacked context somewhere?

This was such a cute and optimistic read! I adore the illustrations especially, they're very unique.

This book is perfect for any little ones that may be demonstrating some anxieties or newfound fears. The moral is so powerful and so sweet- we all have a light within us and as we face our fears and let our shine, we’ll light the way for others, too. I thought it was so clever to make the main character of the story a moth- a creature that fears the dark and wants to be where it’s bright and lit. The 3 star rating is due to the fact that I felt like the book jumped to the end too quickly. I like short children's books but it almost seems like this one could use an extra few pages in the middle to make the message even more compelling. Nevertheless, it's the cutest concept and I’ll absolutely be looking for more from this author.

Thank you to the author and net galley for allowing me to read and review this adorable book.

A beautifully illustrated rustic picture book that emphasizes standing up for those around you and letting your inner light shine. I wish there had been a bit more text. However, the illustrations are truly phenomenal. This will make a great little gift book!

I loved reading this lyrical story and gazing at the colourful paintings.
It's about talking about your fears shamelessly and trying to get over it with the help of knowing your own strength and seeking help from others.
Highly recommended.

I loved the illustrations in this children’s literature book. As an Early Educator I am constantly looking to fill my shelves with books that are new, thought provoking and enjoyable to share with my students.

I think this book would help initiate conversations about animals, camouflage and nature but also feelings, fears and how to work through them.

This was a great book!