Current Gone! Stars Shine Brighter in a Blackout by Neesa Bally. Illustrated by Geeta Ladi

Based on author Nessa Bally’s childhood in Trinidad, this lyrically narrated and energetically illustrated picture book relates her experience of having the electricity go off. In an author note, Bally writes, “In Trinidad, we have blackouts from time to time. Electricity is fondly referred to as ‘current,’ so if the lights suddenly go out, you usually hear someone shout, ‘Current gone!’ That would be the cue for all the groans, because no electricity means no air conditioning or fans. Life in the tropics gets pretty hot, even at night.”

When the power goes off, two young girls, their parents, and grandmother stumble around in the dark to find candles and matches. Once the candles have been lit, they can see where they’re going, but the lack of television and computer screens initially leads to boredom and soon, irritatingly, mosquitoes begin to whine in their ears since no electric fans keep them at bay.

But what seems like a ruined evening is anything but when neighbors come over, bringing games, food, and laughter. Bread is toasted over the gas range and everyone shares in the frozen treats that are now beginning to melt in the freezer. Then everyone goes outside, awestruck by the sparkling stars against the backdrop of the velvet black sky.

Later, when the power is back on, the girls feel disappointment: “Lights glare / without word or warning! / Eyes squint, / adjusting, / as the diamond sky loses its luster. / Mechanical hums / replace chirping crickets. / Emotions mixed. / Feelings tangled. / Darkness is gone. / But memories remain.”

Bally concludes her author’s note by writing about her present experiences of power outages: “Each blackout takes me back to a simpler time when everyone wasn’t always ‘plugged in.’ Being disconnected from the outside world has helped me to connect to those who mattered most---my family. So I cherish that little bit of darkness for the light it brings into my life.” (Abrams Books for Young Readers)