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SUPERLUMINOUS by Ian De Haes Kirkus Star

SUPERLUMINOUS

by Ian De Haes ; illustrated by Ian De Haes

Pub Date: March 10th, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77321-380-4
Publisher: Annick Press

Nour’s inner light doesn’t feel special when she starts school, but when she shares it with her baby sister, she is reassured of its value.

Nour was born “luminous. She glows. She sparkles. As though a little sun was shining right inside of her.” Nour’s light “makes her feel special,” and she uses it to light up dark corners and to chase away monsters and ghosts. On her first day of school, Nour is nervous but excited. Her light draws attention, but soon the other kids minimize her glow, and one even asks her to turn it down. Nour believes the other kids and decides she’s “not that special.” She starts to wish she were invisible, and she begins to hide her light so she won’t be noticed. One night, when her light is “almost out,” she hears her baby sister crying. She cuddles up with her sister and falls asleep wanting to give her light to her. After a wordless spread showing a room alight with the glow from the crib, they awake to find that sharing her light has not only spread it to her sister, but increased her own light. Soft yellows, browns, and greens with dynamic lines draw readers’ eyes to the pages of this lovely story, whose emotional depth stands up to many readings. Nour—which means “light” in Arabic—and her sister are brown with curly hair; their mom presents white, and their father is brown.

Warm and satisfying.

(Picture book. 4-9)