Author Jessica Stremer set out to write a picture book about all the dangers faced by migrating birds. When she submitted her manuscript to her agent, the two decided to do a deeper dive into a single issue. The result—Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds—was published this spring by Paula Wiseman books, a division of Simon & Schuster.
In Lights Out, Jessica focuses on sparrows. Of all bird species, White-Throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) have the unfortunate distinction of being the top “Super-Collider.” Super-colliders, the birds most vulnerable to collisions with glass, both migrate at night and call out to each other in flight. When they become disoriented, their calls draw others in, creating a vicious cycle of death. In the US alone, an estimated 600 million birds die each year colliding with glass—and that horrifying number was published back in 2014, and is assumed to have increased significantly in the past decade.
Illustration by Bonnie Pang
With picture books aimed at young audiences, bright and cheery illustrations are needed to offset the emotional weight that can come with the topic of ecological disaster. Illustator Bonnie Pang is a Hong Kong based comic artist, and her light-filled palette, open space and wide-eyed character create an inviting, hopeful story that draws readers in.
The Lights Out Movement began back in 1995, when FLAP Canada (the Fatal Lights Awareness Program) partnered with the World Wildlife Fund of Canada to launch the first “Lights Out” initiative, a bird-friendly building program. Since then, Lights Out has grown to more than 45 cities across North America, and there are calls for global programs to bring back the dark.
During her research, Jessica found that kids were instrumental in the spread of the Lights Out movement. Children drew pictures and wrote letters—and then shared that information with local businesses and city leaders. She highlights those actions in the books, and shows ways that kids could make a difference. “I wanted to leave kids empowered, with small actions that they can do.”
Illustration by Bonnie Pang
In a podcast with Jessica, Michael Culligan of the Lighting and Darkness Foundation noted that light pollution is often thought of as a metaphor, as not “real” pollution. However, Lights Out demonstrates the real—and deadly—effects of light trespass. And the problem isn’t just with city skyscrapers. Over 40% of window fatalities result from collisions with buildings just one to three stories tall. That means that the solutions must come from all of us.
The book’s backmatter provides some of those answers. There is additional information on birds, migration, flyways, the dangers of light pollution and the Lights Out movement. A “How to Help” section provides guidance and suggestions for children, no matter where they live. These include suggestions on turning off lights or replacing them with bird-friendly lighting, making windows safer for birds, and guidance on what to do if you find an injured bird.
Written by Jessica Stremer, Illustrated by Bonnie Pang
This is a book for all schools and libraries, and for all homes with young kids. It’s a book to inspire love of nature, a book that shows just what an incredible difference kids can make.
Lights Out: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds by Jessica Stremer, illustrated by Bonnie Pang
Paula Wiseman Books (Simon & Schuster), 2024
ISBN: 978-1-6659-3197-7
$18.99 USA; $23.99 Canada
48 pages, Grade level PreS-3 (4-8 years)
Reading this review and learning about this book almost makes me regret not to have kids. But then again, cats are better.
I do love cats—as long as they stay indoors and don’t eat birds! Interestingly, when I was researching for a book about bird conservation, one of the suggestions I found was to feed cats more meat and play with them more. Both have been shown to cut down on bird predation.
Light pollution seriously affects fledgling seabirds: https://spea.pt/projetos/life-naturanight/