Sam and the Firefly

I was able to get a super clean original printing of this on here. It was almost exactly the same as the copy I remember looking at in the late eighties at my grandparents' house outside of Erie, PA (that copy was probably twenty or so years old at that time). Just like the Ten Highly Effective Habits of People or that book about God that people use in church, this deceptively thin children's book contains pretty much everything you need to understand how the world works. There are responsible people in the world (Sam the Owl) and then weird free spirits who are always pushing the limit (Gus the Firefly). The free spirits are the ones who make art, music, and mislabel "hot dogs" as "cold dogs" while the responsible people have to come around and pump the others' stomachs, keep the infrastructure together, and help the free spirits escape from the sealed mason jars of hot dog chefs. The only way the world works and society progresses is with both types of people and that's really a wonderful story for kids when you think about it. If I had kids, I'd be reading this book to them at night along with One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. The colors in this book are beautiful,comprising a distinctive blue and black (always reminded me of a jazz album cover) accented with hits of yellow moonlight and bioluminescence. Just a gorgeous, fun read all together, and makes me think back to childhood when I would alternate back between which character I liked more. As a kid I generally, though not always, veered towards Gus, but became a Sam as I got older.

One of the first books I could read to myself. Still love it!

This is a very cute book, we love it!

One of my favorite books as a child. I bought one for my grandsons and kne for my great granddaughters

Had this book as a child , still have it . Bought this one for grandchild . Loved it .

I loved this book as a child, so purchased it for my grandson. It is a good character lesson and great for young readers.

This book was one of my favorites as a little girl, especially when I was first learning to read. It's magical when the firefly, Gus, begins lighting up the sky with all of his light-written words, and as a child I thought it was hilarious how much trouble Gus got himself into. The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because reading it to my grandson in 2024, there are references that don't translate as easily through the ages as other books (like 'Green Eggs and Ham', 'Go Dog Go' etc). In most parts of the world, Gus's main nemesis, the Hot Dog vendor, isn't even a 'thing' anymore. But still...this book lit up my childhood, made me happy, and I'm hopeful that when my grandson is old enough to read it himself he'll have fun with the words that Gus writes all over the skies. And even if all of the 'things' aren't as relatable, the fun drawings, the special colors of blues and yellows of a 'nighttime' book, and the friendship between Gus and Sam, is ever-lasting.

I loved this book as a child. So when I found it, as a parent, I knew it must be part of my library. Now that my oldest child is learning to read, I have discovered that it is Great for beginning readers, as well as being an intrigueing story. One reviewer thought that there was little flow in the book. There are almost multiple plots in the book, but that is what keeps in interesting! You almost get the feeling that Gus is a bit ADD, and can't control his impulses. Until he has to reap the consequences of his actions. Let the children speak. They Love this book!