Superluminous

by Ian De Haes

Overview

Nour loves the luminous glow she was born with, but it’s only when it starts to dim that she discovers the true power of her brilliant light.

Nour has a superpower: she glows. Her light shines so bright, she feels like a star in the night sky. But when kids at school notice her glow, they’re not impressed. If she had a real superpower, they say, she could fly or turn invisible. So Nour stops feeling special. And as her light dims, her world darkens . . . until a nighttime cry from her baby sister shows her how powerful her glow can be.

Ian De Haes’s heartfelt story and radiant illustrations highlight themes of self-confidence, bravery, empathy, and the imaginative power of a strong female protagonist—whose name means light in Arabic.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781773213798
Publisher:	Annick Press, Limited
Publication date:	04/12/2022
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

IAN DE HAES is a former bookseller and graphic designer. He started creating picture books with his wife, who writes many of the stories he illustrates. He lives in Brussels, Belgium.

Editorial Reviews

★ 2020-01-21
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)

Kirkus Reviews