Description
Bioluminescent animals make their own light to survive.
A firefly lights up the night sky, a foxfire mushroom sets the forest floor aglow and sea butterflies shine like beacons deep in the ocean. These glowing species are one of the most spectacular wonders of the natural world, and they are found on land, in the air and in the depths of the ocean.
In Living Light, discover how and why bioluminescent creatures glow, and what that special ability can tell scientists about how diseases such as cancer and malaria spread in humans. These light makers are facing threats from the effects of climate change, pollution and loss of habitat, and they need our protection. Young readers will learn how they can shine a light on bioluminescent species and use citizen science to conserve their habitats and keep these creatures glowing into the future.
The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.
Author Bio
Stephen Aitken is a biologist, author and artist of over 30 books, both fiction and non-fiction, for young readers. He is passionate about the conservation of all life on Earth, the wonders of the plant and animal kingdoms and fostering respect for the natural world in young readers. Stephen is the co-founder and Executive Secretary of Biodiversity Conservancy International, a Canadian charity based in Ottawa that restores degraded habitats, develops and conducts education programs and supports biodiversity research. He is the Editorial Director of Biodiversity, a peer-reviewed science journal. He lives in Ottawa.
Prizes
- Junior Library Guild (JLG) Gold Standard SelectionCommended 2024
- CCBC Best Books for Kids & TeensCommended 2025
- BC Books for SchoolsCommended 2025
- Science Writers and Communicators of Canada (SWCC) Book Awards - Youth CategoryLong-listed 2024
- The Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award (GEBA) - Young Adult Nonfiction Honor BookCommended 2025
Review Quotes
“Shines new light on light-making organisms.”
— Kirkus Reviews“A fantastic resource for educators to use with students to anchor their learning about living things and how they sense, adapt, and respond to their environment…Provides a wealth of fascinating information that can be used to inspire beginning researchers to further explore bioluminescence in living things.”
— BC Books for Schools“A glimpse into the glorious natural world of fireflies, jellyfish, and plankton. Aitken, sharing personal experiences, offers just the right amount of accessibility in this remarkable book. A great resource.”
— School Library Journal (SLJ)“Biologist author Stephen Aitken’s passion for the book’s subject is most evident in the writing...Though the topic of bioluminescence has been covered before, Living Light, a well-written book, takes it to the next level. Highly engaging! Highly recommended.”
— CM: Canadian Review of Materials“In this detailed offering, Aitken weaves personal experiences into scientific research on the role of bioluminescence in plants and animals. Enlightening, indeed!”
— BooklistBiographical note
Stephen Aitken is a biologist, artist and author. Despite an early brush with nyctophobia (fear of the dark), he became fascinated with bioluminescence while researching a book he wrote on the dangers of light pollution. He has written and illustrated many picture books, chapter books and close to a dozen nonfiction books for middle-grade readers, and he is the author of Saving the Night and Listen Up! in the Orca Footprints series. Stephen is the cofounder and executive secretary of Biodiversity Conservancy International and is the editorial director of the science journal Biodiversity.
