Who Hid the Stars: A KidLit Bird Book Review
WHO HID THE STARS? How Light Pollution Changes Our World documents the effects of artificial light on animals, plants and ecosystems. Originally published in Italy and translated by award-winning translator Sylvia Notini, the book has been re-published as part of Eerdman’s Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers (SSCR) and it is, indeed, spectacular.
Cover of WHO HID THE STARS? How Light Pollution Changes Our World
The effect of lighting on birds is a major component of this nuanced story. For some birds, artificial lights allow more time to search for food, or places for nesting. Some birds, born in cities, become skilled hunters of food near vehicles. I see this in my hometown of Denver, where swallows congregate in summer near the lights of intersections, swooping to catch the moths that emerge from their hiding spaces under cars. But for most birds, the effects of artificial lighting can be catastrophic, as flights and migration patterns are disrupted. The 9-11 tribute light in New York city, beaming upward into the sky one day a year, likely harmed more than one million birds in just seven years.
The 9-11 Tribute Light in New York City: “These twin beams attract and disorient migrating birds.”
Illustrator Valentina Gottardi developed the concept for this book and illustrated it with a combination of pen, paint and tablet. Like lights, her illustrations are luminous, glowing and vibrant. Some spreads are wordless, with an illustration serving to allow the reader to pause and absorb the content. The book feels like a symphony, building to its climax—that together, we can bring back the night.
One of illustrator Valentina Gottardi’s wordless spreads in WHO HID THE STARS? How Light Pollution Changes Our World
The book was developed by a team that included Gottardi, editor Maciej Michno who translates scientific and technical ideas into images and text, and Danio Miserocchi, a naturalist and teacher who works on biodiversity initiatives. Together, the team has brilliantly distilled complex scientific ideas into a form that is a joy to read.
The combination of illustration and graphics in WHO HID THE STARS? helps illustrate complex scientific ideas.
The book begins with a brief history of artificial lights, and its benefits. For humans, the lighting brings a sense of safety, but that safety comes at a cost: “artificial light increase’s human’s risks of health issues like sleep disorders, depression and heart disease.”
Each spread or two serves as a chapter on some aspect of the effects of nighttime lighting. Within most spreads, spotlight highlight a specific animal or plant and describe the effects that lighting has on that species. In the section on migration (“Interrupted Routes”) a spotlight features the Song Thrush: “Like many other diurnal birds, thrushes prefer to migrate at night. They are attracted to artificial lights, temping them to fly lower, making it more likely they will fly into obstacles or use up too much of their precious energy.”
Spotlight on the Song Thrush in WHO HID THE STARS? “They are attracted to artificial lighting, which tempts them for fly lower, making it more likely they will fly into obstacles or use up too much of their precious energy.”
WHO HID THE STARS? is a book for older readers—roughly third grade and up. Its format makes it a great fit for middle school along with upper elementary. While it is too dense to serve as a read-aloud for most classrooms, sections would make for fabulous introductions to science units. Backmatter includes a glossary, resources, and ideas for reducing light pollution. This is a book that belongs in every school and public library.
Who Hid the Stars? How Light Pollution Changes Our World, by Valentina Gottardi, Maciej Michno, and Danio Miserocchi, translated by Sylvia Notini
Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 2025; ISBN: 978-0-8028-5651-7
Original Italian edition titled Lumen, published by Cocai Books, 2024
44 pages, age 8-14
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