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Reviewed by Priya Mathew for Readers' Favorite
In Asher Shines Bright: A Journey of Hope and Light by Kristina Gibbons, we are introduced to Asher, a young fox, who feels sad and lonely on the night of Oakmeadow’s Festival of Lights, while everyone around him is happy. Ary, his friend, notices this, walks beside him, and helps him bring his sadness to God through prayer. As the two go into the forest, they discover Hollis, a young deer who is lost and clearly scared. Asher bravely and kindly helps her find the way to the Hill and helps her reunite with her parents. It's a quiet little story, with a lot packed into the pages about not having to go through difficult feelings alone.
What I loved most about Asher Shines Bright by Kristina Gibbons was how much the illustrations show the story's heart. Every spread glows, with lanterns swaying like fireflies, leaves drifting through soft blue dusk, the forest changing from cozy to a little frightening and back again. Asher's prayer scene is the core of the book, and I felt Psalm 23 echoed in the best way, a reminder that even in the valley, we do not walk alone. The story seems to draw quietly from the scriptures in more than one place, with a lantern that becomes a light for others, a small shepherd going out of his way for the one who wandered off, worry laid down instead of carried. The author never spells any of it out. She lets the story breathe and trusts that young readers will feel it. Ary is warm, and Hollis's rescue gives the story real stakes without ever feeling scary. This book would be a lovely bedtime read for children learning what it means to talk to God honestly, and for parents looking for a gentle way to start that conversation.
