Review by Ian Keogh

Lorena Alvarez is a magnificent artist in touch with her inner child and able to create illustrative wonder guaranteed to appeal to young children. Her imagination excels even when ranked against the general high quality of illustration in children’s books. Nightlights concerns the wonder of art and creativity, personified in Sandy, seen in the first of three stories always drawing, yet constantly told off for not paying attention rather than having her talent recognised. Eventually, though, she flourishes via a metaphorical breakthrough.

With Sandy now more comfortable with her abilities, the sequel Hicotea expands her world and again underlines the power of imagination as she helps a turtle in the wetlands and makes some surprising discoveries. Alvarez has Sandy see the fantastic, which is magnificently presented in both books, prioritising spectacle. So many pages are attractive enough to be cut out and hung on a child’s bedroom wall.

However, Alvarez also includes dark moments. They’re brief enough to avoid upset, but it’s not your average children’s story where the protagonist is told they’re incapable of understanding the universe, which will grow and engulf them. Even seen as metaphor it’s bleak, but Alvarez gives Sandy the ideal positive response.

‘Sune’ returns Sandy to school, at least initially, where it’s discovered the plants her class have been growing haven’t been properly cultivated by them. It’s then rather an arbitrary leap for Sandy to be considered a seed herself, abducted and planted in a new environment. It’s another metaphor, of course, but enables Alvarez to change Sandy’s form into a sort of plant avatar as she explores a new world. That’s just as beautifully drawn as the previous stories, but with noticeably fewer pin-up pages until the end, which is a shame.

The plot is fuelled by random elements. Sandy must keep a gem safe, there’s a peculiar form of gardener and a magical means of getting home, but the dangers and constantly lively art disguise ‘Sune’ as having the weakest story.

While the illustrative quality and charm of The Nightlights Collection is indisputable, there is one disappointment. Nightlights and Hicotea have been released as individual books, but anyone wanting the third and final part, is only going to find it here. Forcing readers who’ve already invested in the series to buy two books a second time in order to read the third is no way to repay loyalty.