In the vein of other popular wordless picture books, like Jerry Pinkney's wordless edition of
The Lion and the Mouse and Aaron Becker's
Journey,
Shine is a beautiful story of how one person can change their world and be a positive influence on the people around them.
The main character, Mia, is an eight-year-old girl whose love for Jesus is visually expressed through beautiful color that flows from her to the people she encounters daily. Each day before Mia leaves her home, she spends time showing her devotion for Jesus. She is shown reading her Bible, praying, doing chores, dancing, and being inspired by the creation around her.
Every morning, colorful Mia walks out into a dreary, dark city. The cityscape and the people are monochromatic, and the crowd walks with their heads down as if they have no hope--until one little boy notices Mia and the light and color she brings into the otherwise drab and colorless city. The boy eventually crosses the street to walk with Mia and join in her silent mission to spread life and light, and he too becomes full of color.
Each day more and more people notice and begin to join Mia, and as they do, the city and the people fill with more and more color. These people who begin to join Mia are also shown worshipping Jesus in devotional time.
Just as in real life, there are some people who resist the change and the light and love Mia tries to share. Those who reject Mia's message remain monochromatic and without hope while the city and the people around them are walking in the city full of light and life.
Mia looks out across the city, now mostly filled with life and color, and realizes it is time to move on to a new place where there are more hopeless people, living in a lifeless city who need the light and life that Jesus offers.
