The Lights That Dance in the Night

by Yuval Zommer

Overview

The northern lights bring wonder and joy to all the creatures who bask under their mysterious glow in this gorgeous picture book from the creator of the holiday hit The Tree That's Meant to Be.

From tiny specks of dust to gleaming rays in the dark, the northern lights travel across the Arctic, uniting every creature in a celebration over land and sea.

In this wonderfully wintery picture book, Yuval Zommer imagines the northern lights' fleeting journey from space to Earth and how they weave a special magic for the animals and people living in the frozen lands below.

With its heartfelt themes of kinship, curiosity, and the wonders of nature, it's a perfectly cozy story for families to read together.

Look for all of Yuval Zommer's beautiful nature stories:
The Tree That's Meant to Be
A Thing Called Snow
The Wild

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593563137
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 12.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

YUVAL ZOMMER graduated from London's Royal College of Art with an MA in illustration. He worked as a creative director at many leading advertising agencies until his passion for picture books won out. He is now the author and illustrator of several highly acclaimed children's books, including The Tree That's Meant to Be, A Thing Called Snow, The Lights That Dance in the Night, and the Big Book series. See more of his work on Instagram and Twitter at @yuvalzommer.

Editorial Reviews

"A glowing tribute to a remarkable natural wonder."—Kirkus

"An easy and enchanting read-aloud that is perfect for one-on-one sharing and groups alike. . . . Engaging rhyming cadence and adorable artwork."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2022-08-17
When the northern lights twinkle, the winter skies are never truly dark.

Though its title might suggest a strictly winter holiday–themed book—think Christmas-tree bulbs or Hanukkah candles—this poetic picture book, a British import, actually describes the northern lights from the lights’ own point of view. In quiet verse, they tell how they’re formed—“as specks of dust blown to Earth from the sun”—and how they spread their brilliant colors as they travel across various weather patterns in wintry night skies. The illuminations deliver not only transcendent brilliance, but also joy to the numerous flocks, packs, and herds of wonderstruck animals (polar bears, arctic hares, whales, seals, reindeer, wolves, and various bird species among them) and to appreciative Indigenous people—the “storytellers”—who dwell in the Arctic lands below. Readers will delight in the variety of wildlife that call these snowbound forests and waters home; they might also long to feel the “magic” experienced and hear the singing of the people greeting the beaming lights. One might have wished for a very simple explanation of the phenomenon. Still, the delicately lovely illustrations capture the lights’ sparkling luminosity. Some spreads have few or no words, allowing the lush colors to speak for themselves. While this may not explicitly be a holiday book, the wintry setting and celebratory mood make it a delightful seasonal addition. People depicted have varied skin tones. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A glowing tribute to a remarkable natural wonder. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews