This was a great story about appreciating the value that other people have, even when they may seem to have no special talents to offer. It was a very positive story and was ultimately reassuring. It would be a good story to share with children when discussing bullying, as the main character endures tremendous bullying and has low self-esteem as a result. Ultimately, it causes him to endanger his own life by running away into the wilderness out of shame. Of course, this story has a happy ending and he happens to save the town simply by being himself and accidentally uncovering what happened to the annual firefly arrival that releases spring onto the town. He is heralded as a hero by the end of the book and it's a very positive story on the whole. ( )