How the Firefly Got Its Light

“Any number of stories seem to pour forth from the work, which has a unique decorativeness and is very finely and exquisitely drawn. The frame decoration is beautiful and enjoyable, making it seem as though you are looking at a tapestry. In the personification of wood and use of colour, one senses not only the following of tradition but also the artist’s individuality.” The Jury for the Grand Jury Prize at the 15th Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, 2006
Jugnu Rani, a tiny firefly, ponders over her insignificance and witnesses the gradual distancing between trees and humankind. She observes the disciplined life of ants and the hard work of the bees, and feels that her existence is useless. But Suraj Dada, the Sun, reminds her that every creature has a place and purpose in the universe. One day, when the forest is in danger, Jugnu Rani discovers the light within her and find her purpose. Soon no one is afraid of the dark anymore. The Firefly is finally happy. The illustrations are drawn in the Mithila (also Madhubani) style of painting from northeastern India. Giving equal weight in its drawings to people, animals, and plants, the illustrations convey the values of the Mithila region. The unique decorativeness is beautiful and enjoyable.