Chris Barton is the author of many picture books, including New
York Times bestseller Shark vs. Train, Sibert Honor winner The
Day-Glo Brothers, Orbis Pictus honoree Dazzle Ships, and Whoosh!
Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, included on
twenty-one state reading lists. He lives in Austin, Texas.
Chaaya Prabhat is a graphic designer, lettering artist, and the
illustrator of Bracelets for Bina's Brothers. She holds an MA in
graphic design from Savannah College of Art and Design. She lives
and works in Chennai, India. www.chaayaprabhat.com
At last, a material known to every crafter for its
almost-supernatural tendency to spread everywhere gets its due.
Barton opens by explaining what “iridescence” is, speculating about
its visual attractiveness and pointing out the places it can be
observed in nature, from feathers and mica to the elytra of
beetles. He details early examples of its use in art and decoration
before offering a history of its modern manufacture (initially
known as mineral “flitter,” then “slivers” of plastic before
companies like Glitterex gave it its current name) and some of the
many uses to which it has been put, including cupcakes and mixtures
with Ash Wednesday ashes to “signal the welcoming of LGBTQ+
worshippers.” Its downsides are also noted, such as the use of
child labor to mine mica and the fact that the bulk of it is by
definition a microplastic and contributes substantially to
pollution. Closing with references to efforts to create
biodegradable and sustainably produced alternative glitters, he
urges readers to “shimmer more thoughtfully” and rounds up sources
and resources for further enlightenment. Visual sparkle is added by
Prabhat’s painted images of a racially diverse cast of mostly
children investigating or celebrating their glittery world amid
showers of brightly hued dots. A shining example of a seeming niche
filler that turns out to have significant relevance for an
astonishing range of issues and interests.
—Booklist, starred review
The whats, whys, and hows of glitter.
Barton began his successful writing career with a book about
shining colors, The Day-Glo Brothers (2009). Here, he tackles
another showy subject. In an engaging, conversational narrative, he
explains why glitter sparkles, speculates on why humans like
sparkly, shiny things, and looks back at historical uses. He
describes glittery bits made from the wings of beetles in ancient
Egypt and from mica in civilizations around the world. Barton also
examines the etymology of glitter. (It was once called flitter.)
Then he turns to modern glitter, made from plastics, touching on
the manufacturing process as well as glitter’s small size
(measurable in microns) and uses, with special attention to Mardi
Gras. Barton explains why glitter clings so easily to anything it
touches and unpacks environmental concerns about microplastics,
which often end up in the ocean. He mentions the more recent
innovation of biodegradable glitter and problems with mica mining.
Throughout Prabhat’s lively digitally created art, three young
people follow the investigation. On one spread, a dark-skinned
child with Afro puffs peers at glitter through a microscope while a
light-skinned child with long, dark brown hair uses tweezers, and a
brown-skinned child gazes through a magnifying glass. There’s
humor, too, mostly related to glitter’s clinginess. The author ends
on a hopeful note, praising “the steps humans are taking to shimmer
more thoughtfully.”
An intriguing, entertaining investigation sure to catch readers’
attention. (author’s and illustrator’s notes, further reading,
selective bibliography)
—Kirkus Reviews
Barton explores glitter, a source of fascination (and frustration),
diving into the science, history, and entrepreneurship that created
the material we know today. He doesn’t shy away from the drawbacks,
from everyday irritations to the serious environmental impacts of
microplastics to the use of child labor in mining. But he also
explores the joys of glitter, including why people have always been
attracted to things that shine and sparkle. From the early days of
using mica and beetle shells to create something shiny to new
innovations intended to make glitter more ecologically friendly,
Prabhat’s colorful, layered, collage-style digital illustrations
capture its messy allure. Many spreads are flecked with small
shapes, evoking glitter’s ubiquitous quality. Whether they love the
stuff or loathe it, readers will find something here to pique their
curiosity. Back matter includes an author’s note on Barton’s
research process, an illustrator’s note, sources, and suggestions
for further reading.
—The Horn Book
This nonfiction expedition into the history of glitter aims to, if
not necessarily warm librarians up to it, at least help make plain
its origins.
Barton approaches the twinkling topic from a multitude of angles.
He writes about bioluminescence in the wild. He provides a brief
bio of the inventors of “flitter,” its name before “glitter” was
coined. And he informs readers about biodegradable and edible
versions of an otherwise nearly indestructible plastic material.
Pages are wordy, but text is clear and thoughtfully laid out amid
Prabhat’s colorful, full-bleed illustrations. The facts are
anchored by a diverse trio of children exploring the history of
glitter, almost as if they’re on a time-traveling journey. Glitter
isn’t going anywhere—literally, it’s never coming out of the
carpet—so we might as well get to know it.
VERDICT Although niche, this is a super accessible and fun deep
dive into a craft staple. Full of fun facts for every
collection.
—School Library Journal
Strong opinions about glitter are common, but whether you love it
or hate it, this book is a fascinating look at the history and
science of all things sparkly! Readers will learn what iridescence
is, how it works, and how human use of shimmery beetles in ancient
Egypt and shiny mica in South African cave paintings led to the
development of what we now know as glitter. There is a discussion
of various applications for glitter, from crafts to cupcakes, as
well as future glitter innovations to help make new types of
sparkles that are not harmful to the earth. An author's note,
bibliography, and selected further reading suggestions round out
this fun exploration of a very niche topic.
—Cybils Award, finalist review
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