33. Fireflies!
Story and pictures by Julie Brinckloe
children's book, 1985
finished 6/22/12
As I sit in the living room on these long evenings, I see fireflies outside every window. They seem like a miracle to me. How incredible that these little creatures bring such beauty to the night time sky. I was reminded of this book which I used to read to my children when they were little. It is the story of summer childhood. A child sees these wonders and captures them in a jar.
As in all the best children's picture books, there is such love portrayed between the parents and their son. This is the perfect book to read to your little ones on a summer evening to send them off to sleep. Or if you don't have young children at home, it is worth reading all by yourself, looking up occasionally at the fireflies in your own yard.
I found your blog by chance. You know I had never seen fireflies or lightning bugs while growing up in France. I checked with Google translate and they are called Luciole in French – a word I did not know. We have these insects here in Georgia and I really like them. I love your rose in your heading. We have a rose here in that color it is called a “McCartney Rose” what is the name of yours?
ReplyDeleteWelcome, and thank you for leaving a note. I will be over to visit you soon!
DeleteI love the French word for fireflies.
The rose is a William Baffin, one that grows with ease in this cold climate. I have two bushes, and they are thriving.
Can you believe that I have never seen fireflies myself? I suspect they are very rare in this part of the globe, if they do exist at all, or maybe I have simply never been at the right place at the right time to watch them.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you saw the earlier comment from Vagabonde - that she didn't see them growing up in France, though they must be there since there is a word for them. Just for fun I typed into google: are there fireflies in germany. There were lots of results if you want to learn more.
DeleteI know they are called Glühwürmchen in German, and I think my Mum has seen them when she was a child. Maybe they have just given up on our area in the decades since then.
DeleteThere are studies going on to see if they are in decline, or not. Some say nighttime lights in yards are a problem.
DeleteIs the German translated as glow worm? I know the word glühwein - what is 'gluh' in that case. glow wine? :<)
These little wonders have been lighting up our nights for a few weeks now, Nan, and they still fill me with wonder. I don't know this book, but did take a look at our library system and see it is at a library close by. I'll have to check it out - then, maybe a certain little someone may need a copy.
ReplyDeleteA few summers ago, we had what older daughter Jennifer and I have come to call the "firefly summer". I have never, ever seen so many fireflies. The previous summer had been the one with the 17 year cicadas. You can only imagine the noise, the mess, the smell and how interesting this phenomenon is. Well, it seems that the birds had such a feast on the cicadas that they left the fireflies alone, creating a bumper crop the following year. I don't think I will ever forget it.
I so loved reading this! I don't think we have those cicadas, but I've always found them fascinating. The mess? The smell?? And what a good theory about the amount of fireflies.
DeleteI read that cuckoos appear when there are lots of tent caterpillars, though I haven't seen any more than usual this year.
Hey Nan!
ReplyDeleteVagabonde is right... we have them in Georgia but we call them lightening bugs! Fireflies sound so much nicer!
Hey! I didn't get a chance to say, but I was so happy to see that the author of that book, "Chicken, Mules and Two Old Fools" left you a comment! I was so tickled for you!
I've heard them called lightening bugs here too.
DeleteVictoria Twead seems like such a nice person!
I have this book, too! I bought it when we first moved to Lincoln (we didn't have fireflies in CA) and read it to Amy when she was around 9 or 10. I'll have to locate it before Shay arrives this summer. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteMaybe the fireflies will still be out when she arrives. Wouldn't that be perfect.
DeleteNan, I love seeing the firflies in the summer. I look out my bedroom window at night and see them lighting up the sky. As a child and now grandchildren - catching them in a jar...
ReplyDeleteYour grandchildren might love this book.
DeleteI wish I could read this to our granddaughter, but we'll be visiting her in September/October. I don't think there will be fireflies then.
ReplyDeleteKids don't seem to care if you read a book out of season!
DeleteHey again Nan:
ReplyDeleteI've been collecting children's books from estate sales for our friend's 5 year old son. The father is an artist and the son is wonderfully creative and curious as well. I try to give them books that have illustrations that will fascinate them both and a story for father to read to son. I think I'll add this one to the books I collect for them!
- Jeff
When I mentioned to my almost-30-year-old daughter that I wrote about Fireflies on the blog, she started smiling and remembered whole bits of it. Amazing. Wonderful.
Delete