About This Book:
Feliz cumpleaños! It’s Dani’s birthday. He should be excited, but he’s nervous. Will his classmates come to his party or will they think the strange bright light that follows him everywhere is just too annoying? Dani wishes he could be like the other kids, but he realizes that he’s perfect just the way he is. After all, when he was born, God decided that the world needed someone just like him.
*Review Contributed By Adrien Guerrae, Staff Reviewer*
Embracing the Light: A Heartfelt Story of Self-Acceptance and Cultural Discovery
In a Bright Light in Buenos Aires Dani is celebrating his birthday but rather than excitement, he is feeling nervous. Dani worries that his classmates might not come to his party or that the bright light following him around is going to get in the way. Dani wants to be just like everyone else but in the end, he realizes that he doesn’t need to change a thing about himself.
What I Liked: A Bright Light in Buenos Aires opens by introducing you to Dani, a boy who has a bright light that follows him. The images that are included throughout this book are very detailed, and even if there are only a few words on the page, such as when Dani is at the movies, there is an image to along with the words. Through the various images, you get a glimpse into what life looks like in Buenos Aires for Jewish people. In the images, you can also see the wide range of diversity of Jewish people in Buenos Aires.
While there are a lot of words per page, the images and story manage to capture and keep a young audience’s attention. The message that this story passes along is one that everyone can relate to and will be able to learn from. This book teaches us that we are all born with a gift or talent that we are to share with the world and that we should embrace those gifts rather than reject them or try to change ourselves.
This book closes with some information about Buenos Aires and the Jewish population that resides there. Then there is an explanation about birthdays and being Jewish, and what the relationship between the two is. After that, there is a glossary with a few words that are included throughout the book that are in Spanish or Jewish terms.
Final Verdict: A Bright Light in Buenos Aires is a great children’s picture book about embracing who you are and the parts of you that make you unique. This book is a great way to show children how to celebrate the things that make them unique and embrace who they are. Adults will enjoy reading this book with children and introducing them to a different culture and country.
