For a season celebrated with lights of all kinds and goodwill towards one another, inspirational children’s storyteller Shelby Herman provides an empowering holiday gift for young people with Shimmer the Glowworm Finds Her Glow. The story follows Shimmer, a glowworm who has a low glow and goes on a purposeful journey to find it. She discovers along the way that helping others find their glow is what makes her glow show.
For parents, teachers, caregivers and others with children from second through fifth grades on their shopping list, Shimmer the Glowworm is a gift that keeps on giving as it teaches children through the power of story how to give to others and appreciate themselves.
On her mission for the book, the author shared with us that her ultimate goal is “to spread a message of hope, inspiration and self-empowerment/self-discovery and encourage children to build strong connections with their inner-beings and with each other.”
Helping children to learn about the connection between social emotions and being aware or mindful of themselves and others is 
shown to have long-term positive benefits. According to a new study conducted by The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, by helping children “become aware of and then embody the connection between their emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations, students are better able to regulate their emotions, which then impacts things such as their behavior, stress levels, relationships, and ability to focus.”
Through Herman’s in-person engagement with the readers of her book in educational settings like libraries and elementary school classrooms, she has seen first-hand the impact the story is having. Among the book’s critics include a second grade student in Arizona, whose book review highlighted the character’s journey: “I loved Shimmer the Glowworm. My favorite part was when Cray turned rainbow colors. I could show my glow I would be helping others like Shimmer did it.”
Additional reviews by parents and teachers note how the story “teaches kids at a young age to help and inspire others;” and how the book has “such a great message and my second grade class loved it too.”
To complement the children’s book, Herman also offers Show Your Glow, an uplifting song with powerfully inspirational lyrics to add a bit of music to the positive message advocated:
Shimmer the Glowworm Finds Her Glow is available in hardback for $19.99; in paperback for $14.99; and as an electronic book on Kindle for $6.99. The book was published by Ingram Spark and is available for sale online with Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Herman is currently developing a children’s musical to expand the reach of the inspirational Shimmer the Glowworm story through song; as well as regularly scheduling author visits with school, libraries and with organizations where young children and families gather.
