Lights Day and Night: The Science of How Light Works

Gr 1-3–A lovely work that will pique the curiosity of young children. A girl and her cat spend summer vacation investigating how light works in all formats and environments. The journey starts with the small light of a summer firefly as it illuminates a child’s world. Natural light from stars, sunshine, and the sun are covered along with artificial light provided through electricity. Examples of how artificial light helps us in everyday life is explained, and children are reminded that they use and see this type of light every day in home lighting, traffic lights, and even scoreboards at a sporting event. The book then digs deeper into the science of light, sharing how it is absorbed, reflected, and refracted. It also explains the meaning of opaque, translucent, and transparent. Luminous mixed media illustrations show light in all its glory as well as how the earth, humans, and animals benefit from its existence. Calming tones and well-crafted images complement the text. The back matter includes a glossary of the more scientific terms as well as a way for readers to experiment with light at home.