{"id":34590,"date":"2025-11-23T00:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T05:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/?p=34590"},"modified":"2025-11-18T12:27:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:27:30","slug":"northern-lights-magic-in-the-sky","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2025\/11\/northern-lights-magic-in-the-sky\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Lights:  Magic in the Sky"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Seeing the Northern Lights had always felt like an out-of-reach bucket list item to me. Traveling to the Arctic Circle? Probably not going to happen. But when that magic in the sky occurred right over my suburban Chicago home? I felt beyond fortunate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"575\" height=\"650\" data-id=\"34608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-1-575x650.png\" alt=\"Northern Lights with stars\" class=\"wp-image-34608\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-1-575x650.png 575w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-1-266x300.png 266w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-1-443x500.png 443w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-1-80x90.png 80w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-1.png 608w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 575px) 100vw, 575px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Northern Lights photo by Kary Henry, ALSC member<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"563\" height=\"650\" data-id=\"34611\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-4-563x650.png\" alt=\"Northern Lights over lake with reflection\" class=\"wp-image-34611\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-4-563x650.png 563w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-4-260x300.png 260w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-4-433x500.png 433w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-4-78x90.png 78w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-4.png 614w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 563px) 100vw, 563px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Northern Lights over lake, photo taken by Kate Henry, <br>used with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once I had this magical experience (and, trust me, we drove around to see more and different views!), I wanted to find books that portrayed or explained the Northern Lights. These titles share more of that magic in the sky!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"414\" data-id=\"34612\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-publisher-website.jpg\" alt=\"book cover image Northern Lights\" class=\"wp-image-34612\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-publisher-website.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-publisher-website-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Northern-Lights-publisher-website-109x90.jpg 109w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/abdobooks.com\/shop\/show\/12734\">Book cover image taken from ABDO website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"450\" data-id=\"34614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Lights-that-Dance-in-the-Night-publisher-website.jpg\" alt=\"book cover image The Lights That Dance in the Night\" class=\"wp-image-34614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Lights-that-Dance-in-the-Night-publisher-website.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Lights-that-Dance-in-the-Night-publisher-website-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/The-Lights-that-Dance-in-the-Night-publisher-website-72x90.jpg 72w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/705695\/the-lights-that-dance-in-the-night-by-written-and-illustrated-by-yuval-zommer\/\">Book cover image taken from Penguin Random House website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"644\" height=\"650\" data-id=\"34606\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website-644x650.png\" alt=\"Book cover image In the Sky at Nighttime\" class=\"wp-image-34606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website-644x650.png 644w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website-297x300.png 297w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website-495x500.png 495w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website-89x90.png 89w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime-publisher-website.png 649w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 644px) 100vw, 644px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/inhabitbooks.com\/products\/in-the-sky-at-nighttime\">Book cover image taken from Inhabit Books website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"650\" data-id=\"34607\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Moon-Song-publisher-500x650.png\" alt=\"Book cover image Moon Song\" class=\"wp-image-34607\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Moon-Song-publisher-500x650.png 500w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Moon-Song-publisher-231x300.png 231w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Moon-Song-publisher-384x500.png 384w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Moon-Song-publisher-69x90.png 69w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Moon-Song-publisher.png 589w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hachettebookgroup.com\/titles\/michaela-goade\/moon-song\/9780316461634\/?lens=little-brown-books-for-young-readers\">Book cover image taken from Little, Brown Books for Young Readers\/Hachette Book Group website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"595\" height=\"547\" data-id=\"34613\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SkySisters-publisher-website.jpg\" alt=\"book cover image SkySisters\" class=\"wp-image-34613\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SkySisters-publisher-website.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SkySisters-publisher-website-300x276.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SkySisters-publisher-website-544x500.jpg 544w, https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SkySisters-publisher-website-98x90.jpg 98w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kidscanpress.com\/product\/skysisters\/\">Book cover image taken from Kids Can Press website<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Were there also Northern Lights art projects that I could do with my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2024\/03\/creative-clubhouse\/\">Creative Clubhouse<\/a> kiddos? Yes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This YouTube <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gTR8rmrySfU\">video<\/a> shared an easy introduction to chalk art to recreate the Northern Lights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A similar approach, but slightly less messy, thanks to using a cotton ball rather than your fingers, can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/onelittleproject.com\/northern-lights-chalk-art\/\">here<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lastly, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.projectswithkids.com\/northern-lights-watercolor\/\">watercolor version<\/a> of the Northern Lights makes a beautiful project as well.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? Share your experiences in the comments below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This ALSC blog post addresses the following Core Competencies:  I. Commitment to Client Group, III. Programming Skills, and IV. Collection Knowledge and Management.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seeing the Northern Lights had always felt like an out-of-reach bucket list item to me. Traveling to the Arctic Circle? Probably not going to happen. But when that magic in the sky occurred right over my suburban Chicago home? I felt beyond fortunate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":335,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[2058,1605,1614,1607,414,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogger-kary-henry","category-commitment-to-client-group","category-knowledge-curation-and-management-of-materials","category-programming-skills","category-stemsteam","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34590","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/335"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34590"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34590\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34590"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34590"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34590"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}