Current Gone!
Stars Shine Brighter in a Blackout (A Picture Book)
Will be published approx. on 9. July 2026
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-1-4197-7369-3 (ISBN)
Description
A sudden blackout turns into a neighborhood-wide sleepover in this lovely, lyrical picture book about family, community, and how much fun it can be to unplug from technology
Filled with joy and community bonding, Neesa Bally's lyrical text and Geeta Ladi's warm and striking art style, this book paints a vivid picture of Trinidadian life while showing that when the lights go out, that's when the most fun can be had.
It happens suddenly-
Darkness descends,
without wish or want.
An uninvited guest,
overstaying its welcome.
"Current gone! Power's out!" A blackout overtakes a family's neighborhood one evening. As lights, fans, air conditioners, and electronic devices all lose power, there's only one thing left to do-go outside and play!
Joining their neighbors in the sticky tropical heat of Trinidad, the family enjoys playing board games by candlelight, making shadow puppets, and sharing grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream with their friends and neighbors. As they begin to fall asleep under the star-filled sky, the lights come back on, leaving everyone with memories that will last.
Filled with joy and community bonding, Neesa Bally's lyrical text and Geeta Ladi's warm and striking art style, this book paints a vivid picture of Trinidadian life while showing that when the lights go out, that's when the most fun can be had.
It happens suddenly-
Darkness descends,
without wish or want.
An uninvited guest,
overstaying its welcome.
"Current gone! Power's out!" A blackout overtakes a family's neighborhood one evening. As lights, fans, air conditioners, and electronic devices all lose power, there's only one thing left to do-go outside and play!
Joining their neighbors in the sticky tropical heat of Trinidad, the family enjoys playing board games by candlelight, making shadow puppets, and sharing grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream with their friends and neighbors. As they begin to fall asleep under the star-filled sky, the lights come back on, leaving everyone with memories that will last.
Reviews / Votes
"Appropriately playing with light and shadow, chalky digital drawings center on cozy domestic scenes, and a horizontal spread of the night sky offers a dazzling climax that's pitch-perfect for this bright-eyed and appreciative tale about embracing the dark." * Publishers Weekly * "A tempting invitation to turn off the lights, put down the screens, and live in the moment-at least for a night." * Kirkus Reviews *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Abrams
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Preschool to Second Grade, Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Illustrations
Full-color illustrations throughout
Dimensions
Height: 267 mm
Width: 216 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
445 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4197-7369-3 (9781419773693)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
06/2026
Abrams Books for Young Readers
€16.49
Available for download
Persons
Neesa Bally hails from the beautiful twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. She writes stories that range from heartfelt and lyrical to humorous and whimsical. She draws inspiration from her childhood experiences, like this one, as well as from her own imagination. Apart from Current Gone, she's the author of The Pone Pact. She lives in Trinidad with her husband, two daughters, and four dogs. Geeta Ladi is a picture book illustrator based in Chennai, India. A keen traveler, she draws inspiration from diverse cultures and communities. With over a decade of experience designing educational toys and working with children, she now brings her love for storytelling to picture books. Ladi dreams of illustrating children from around the world and sharing their stories with warmth, bringing them closer to one another.