Oh, hi! Are you a grown-up? (wags tail) I'm so glad you're here!
I love going on adventures, but my favorite part is when I get to share them with someone. That's kind of what my books are all about. They're for kids, but they're really meant to be read together. You can read my stories at bedtime, on a long car ride, or whenever your little one is figuring something tricky out. I hope it's a book you come back to again and again.
And don't forget to visit my Activity Corner! That's where I keep all the printable activities and conversation starters you can use at home. They're fun, they're easy, and they help kids think about the story in their own way. Here are some of my favorite ways to use my books at home:
Stop and ask your child what they notice about the characters
Talk about what the characters are feeling or going through
Ask what kindness and courage might look like in their day
Let them draw or write their very own ending to the story
The adventures are more fun when we go together. 🐾
I heard you read my book… and guess what? The adventure doesn't have to stop there! I put together some really fun activity pages just for you. There are puzzles, coloring pages, a maze to help you find Sparkle, and even a kindness challenge. (Sparkle helped me come up with that one. She's pretty smart for a tiny bug.) The best part? They're completely FREE. Just ask your mom or dad to print them out and let's keep exploring together. Download your free activity pages below!
Keep Learning
When I moved to East Tennessee and met Sparkle, a synchronous firefly, she showed me the magic of the Smoky Mountains! Did you know it is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth? The resources below help K–5 teachers and parents continue learning with their young readers, exploring real science, real places, and real ways kids can help protect what they've discovered. Get outside and have fun!
Synchronous Fireflies - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
The official NPS page on synchronous fireflies explains how and why Photinus carolinus flash in unison, one of only a few species in the world known to do this. Includes information about the annual viewing event at Elkmont each May/June.
Visit the website hereGSMNP Synchronous Firefly Viewing Lottery
Every year in late May or early June, the park hosts a ticketed viewing event at Elkmont - 120 vehicles per night, chosen by lottery. The event is so popular that a reservation system was introduced to protect both visitors and the fireflies during peak mating season. A perfect family or class trip goal!
Visit the website hereGSMNP Education (Classroom Activities & Virtual Programs)
The park's education team offers free, curriculum-aligned classroom activities, ranger-led virtual programs (via Zoom or Google Meet), and field trip resources tied to Tennessee and North Carolina state standards, from kindergarten forest exploration to 5th-grade science connections.
Visit the website hereA Literary Field Guide to Southern Appalachia
A stunning hybrid of poetry, natural history writing, and art covering 60 species of Southern Appalachia — from speckled trout to black bear to the firefly. Pairing a poem from this anthology with a field guide entry is a memorable cross-curricular activity for upper elementary students.
Grab the book hereXerces Society Firefly Atlas
The Xerces Society launched the Firefly Atlas to map firefly species across North America. Students can submit real observations that contribute to conservation science — turning a backyard firefly-watching session into genuine scientific data. Includes identification guides and flash pattern charts.
Visit the website hereJasper Meets Sparkle Field Guide Coloring Book
Coming soon!
Classroom Activities
Below are ready-to-use activity ideas for K–5 teachers and parents. Each ties directly to themes in Jasper's story!
Flash Pattern Decode
Give students flashlights and a simple chart of firefly flash patterns. Have them practice "speaking firefly" in pairs — one flashes a pattern, the other identifies the species. Discuss: why might flashing in sync help fireflies find each other?
Grades K–3 · Science / Communication
My Field Guide Page
Inspired by the field guide at the back of Jasper's book, students research and illustrate one Smoky Mountains species: writing a description, drawing a picture, and noting where it lives. Compile into a class field guide.
Grades 2–5 · ELA / Science / Art
New Place, New Friends
Jasper moves to a new place and has to make new friends, just like many students. Write or draw: "If I moved to a new place, what one animal or place would I want a new friend to show me?" Share and discuss.
Grades K–2 · SEL / Writing
Bioluminescence Science Station
Set up a dark corner station with a black light and fluorescent materials to demonstrate bioluminescence. Students explore: What other living things make their own light? (Deep-sea fish, certain fungi, glowworms.) Compare to fireflies.
Grades 2–5 · Science / Inquiry
Light Pollution Investigation
Firefly populations are declining partly because of artificial light at night. Students map light sources around their school or neighborhood and design a "firefly-friendly" outdoor area with reduced lighting. Connects to engineering design standards.
Grades 3–5 · Science / Engineering / Conservation