Glow: The Wild Wonders of Bioluminescence

Ages 6 to 8, Grades 2 to 3

The astonishing phenomenon of bioluminescence is brought to life in vivid detail by scientific illustrator Jennifer N. R. Smith—featuring a colorful palette that seems to glow on the page.

The natural world is an infinite source of wonder, and the phenomenonof bioluminescence is no exception. Glow explores the remarkable way creatures light up of their own accord, and what we can learn from their incredible glow-in-the-dark abilities. Written and illustrated by Jennifer N. R. Smith, Glow takes readers on a magical journey to the deepest ocean trenches, through winding networks of caves, and into the dark of the forest to experience the marvel of bioluminescence.The first in a series of nonfiction children’s books exploring natural phenomena, Glow introduces readers to creatures that glow in the dark, including anglerfish, the glowing sucker octopus, “femme fatale” fireflies, and honey fungi. It also celebrates the scientists and deep-sea explorers who have traveled to the darkest and most dangerous corners of the planet to study bioluminescence. Combining natural history with STEM and consulting from celebrated marine biologist and bioluminescence expert Dr. Edith Widder, Glow considers how bioluminescence works and what we can learn from it, including ways to prevent climate change and tackle pollution.

About the Author

Jennifer N. R. Smith is an award-winning illustrator based in Bristol. She has a BA in fine arts and is certified in medical illustration with the Medical Artists' Association. In 2022 she was shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards, the V&A Illustration Awards, and ABCD Awards. Dr. Edith Widder is a renowned marine biologist and bioluminescence expert and the author of Below the Edge of Darkness. It is thanks to her oceanography work that we know so much about bioluminescence.