Since she's no longer sleepy, she starts to have lots of fun with her new friend, but slowly his light starts to fade. One night, the power goes out and just as her imagination starts to run away with her, she sees the fireflies and runs outside to catch one. This story is about Nina, a little girl who is afraid of the dark. Good Night, Firefly, written and illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo is a picture book for children ages 4-7.

Catching fireflies in jars is an American summertime trope, but it is one that should not be perpetuated or encouraged. Firefly populations are threatened and in decline, and one of the top reasons – in addition to habitat loss, light pollution, and chemicals – is collecting. Please, dear reader, do not catch fireflies even if you intend to release them afterwards because it can cause serious, albeit unintentional, harm and hasten the extinction of the firefly. Finally, she understands that it's captivity that is causing the firefly to become dim and listless, and she does the right thing by letting the firefly go.Ĭapturing and confining any wild animal does it harm, and I am glad that Nina realizes at the end of the story. Nina is confused at first and tries to get the firefly to brighten back up. She has a great time playing with her firefly light until the firefly's light begins to fade, and the firefly lays motionless on the bottom of the jar. Seeing the fireflies outside her window gives her the idea to catch one to use as a light, which she does. Nina is afraid of the dark and needs a night light in order to sleep, so when the power goes out during a storm, she becomes frightened. When the electricity goes out, Nina catches a firefly to use as a night light, but when its light begins to dim, she realizes that she should let it go.

Good Night, Firefly by Gabriel Alborozo