Book Review: Boo Bear’s Light

Boo Bear’s Light: An ABC Rhyming Picture Book for Children. Catherine Ann Russel, Basketful Relief Project, 2024

Paperback , 40 pages.

Reviewed by Christine Cassello.

A bear cub named Boo is out picnicking in the woods with his family and finds a lightning bug who is crying because he is injured and lost. They introduce themselves. The bug’s name is Jack. Boo takes Jack to his parents and they bring him home with them.

The bear family feed the firefly and nurse him back to health. Then, when he has recovered, Papa Bear gets a map, and he and Boo embark on a search to find Jack’s family. When they get to a pond the firefly, Jack, lights up as he sees other lights flying through the sky. The firefly family see Jack and come down to take him home.  

This is a charming story encouraging compassion to all creatures, whether they are like you, or not. Boo did not take advantage of the firefly's injury to prey upon him. Instead, he assisted him, like the Good Samaritan in the Bible story. On each page, a word is highlighted to represent a letter of the alphabet. The Illustrations are very well done and will appeal to readers. 

At the back of the book , there is a page of illustrations for children to look for throughout the story, and biographies of the author and illustrator. Readers are encouraged to find out more about the Basketful Relief Project at basketfulreliefproject.com and a list of other books in their series.