“Life of a Firefly” by Sandra Brown-Lindstedt

• 02/27/2021
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Life of a Firefly

Sandra Brown-Lindstedt
Independently Published (2020)
ISBN 979-8679133327
Reviewed by Amy C. (age 16) for Reader Views Kids (02/2021)

“Life of a Firefly” by Sandra Brown-Lindstedt, is a captivating story about a little girl named Sandy Forte and her adventures growing up. Sandy will win the hearts of teenagers and adults alike as a mischievous girl that somehow maintains an innocence about her that is fresh and unique. The adventure starts right from the first page as big sister, Glory dares Sandy to swallow a firefly. It’s a letdown for sure when Sandy’s stomach fails to glow from the light of the firefly. But life is good in Hooks, Texas with their grandmother, until their mother, Janetta Mae comes to take Sandy and Glory home with her to Chicago. For the next several years Sandy and Glory go back and forth between living with their mother and grandmother and their experiences will keep readers intrigued from the first page to the last.

I loved this book! When I first picked it up I was afraid it would be too “young” for me but Sandy is a character that captured my attention immediately and I soon found myself taking any chance I could to break away from everything and read. Sandy is hilarious and had me laughing out loud throughout the whole book. Her personality is as big as life – she says what’s on her mind and that often gets her into trouble, but sometimes it’s her inner thoughts that are the funniest. One glimpse inside Sandy’s head when she sees her mother all dressed up and ready to go dancing: “What did dressing up like a neon sign at night have to do with dancing?” 

There are vibes of Christianity throughout the book that some readers may not connect with but these elements are told not to preach but to give the readers a deeper look into the family’s beliefs and values and what made them who they are. The firefly comes to symbolize our inner connection with Jesus and I love that grandma told stories to Sandy and Glory and tried to explain scripture to them. True to form, Sandy’s curious nature creates sparks of innocence as she asks her grandmother about one particular scripture: “But, why do the children have to suffer? Is Jesus real mean?”

There are so many great adventures in this book and Sandy’s journey is one that will stay with the reader for a long time after they finish reading. The writing is amazing, the characters are genuine and the author paints pictures with her words.  I highly recommend this book to teens and older. I totally enjoyed “Life of a Firefly” by Sandra Brown-Lindstedt.