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This Little Light of Mine
Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005.
31 pages
Reviewed by Christy Risser-Milne
Every once in awhile a picture book intended for children comes along that so captures my imagination that I pick it up again and again. This Little Light of Mine is based upon the ages old African-American spiritual (the music for which is included at the end of the book), but the beauty of the song is captured in the art of E. B. Lewis.
The watercolor illustrations are so alive and so vivid that the images have a photorealism about them not normally conveyed by this medium. One spread near the beginning of the book particularly captures this powerful beauty.
The scene is a simple kitchen. On the left stands the young, yellow-shirted boy who lives out the song in the book, embracing his beautiful, loving mother from behind. Lewis has so infused their faces with light and love that I want to crawl into the frame and join in the embrace. In the window on the facing page, bright light blocks out all details, and provides Lewis a palate for part of the song:
Let it shine,
let it shine,
let it shine.
Lewis’s skill, artistry, and clear love for both the song and his subjects negate the need for words beyond those of this simple song. In fact, words other than those of the song would have made this book far less than it is.
Whether you want to teach “This little light of mine” to children, or if you want to own a book of gorgeous art, This Little Light of Mine is an excellent book to have and to hold. And in those moments of self-doubt that all humans must find a way through, you can revisit Lewis’s work and reignite your own light to shine wherever you go.
As a writer and editor, Christy Risser-Milne has difficulty drawing stick people, and she knows that some things are beyond mere words, which is why artists like Lewis are near and dear to her heart.
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