Stars

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Stars (NOOK Kids) Pub. Date: 10/4/2011 Publisher: Beach Lane Books
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Stars Pub. Date: 10/4/2011 Publisher: Beach Lane Books

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Overview
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Meet the Author

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Overview

A star is how you know it’s almost night.

As soon as you see one, there’s another, and another.

And the dark that comes doesn’t feel so dark.

What if you could have a star?

From acclaimed author Mary Lyn Ray and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Marla Frazee comes this tender, evocative—and profound—exploration of stars both near and far.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Ray (Christmas Farm) and Frazee (The Boss Baby), two big talents beating as one, assemble a cast of junior philosophers to help them muse on why stars—as celestial bodies, as shapes, as symbols, as talismans—hold so much meaning and mystery for us. There’s not a lot of action, per se, although a spectacular sledding scene (“Snowflakes are stars”) will remind Frazee fans of the visual agility of 2003’s Roller Coaster. Rather, most of the vignettes are moments of reverie that come from staring at a night sky, sitting on a fence (“Yellow stars on pumpkin vines become October pumpkins”), or blowing on a dandelion (“...you blow thousands of stars into the sky). But while the prevailing tone is contemplative, it’s more quirky than languid, capturing the delicious freedom of Ray’s mind at play. Her prose wanders in the best sense of the word, and Frazee is happy to connect the dots and explore the detours, showing readers how stars can turn sticks into wands, cheer us up, or remind us, gently, of how much of the universe is beyond our grasp. Ages 2–6. (Oct.)

School Library Journal

PreS-K—Ray's simple ode to stars is an engaging concept book. The invitation to appreciate stars begins and ends with looking for them in the night sky. In between are stars drawn on paper to wear as a sheriff's badge, mounted on a stick to make a wand, and kept in one's pocket. The distinctive shape is found in moss on a tree, blossoms on pumpkin vines and strawberry plants, and in winter's snowflakes. Frazee's deft sketches of a diverse array of young children, scattered on white or mottled blue pages, are both playful and evocative. Viewers of all ages can empathize with the lone child in a row of empty swings on one of those days "when you don't feel so shiny." "Blow a ball of dandelion and you blow a thousand stars into the sky." The closing view of children donning pajamas for a last look at the night sky suggests that this will be a pleasant bedtime reading choice, but the book offers many other sharing uses for parents, preschool teachers, and librarians. It celebrates everyday experiences of children, prompting observation of the world around us, and it's beautifully structured for eliciting children's conversation and response. There are bits of humor and poetry, an engaging cast of players/star watchers, and many possibilities for pairing the book with crafts, activities, and other books, too.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

More Reviews (2) Fewer Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

A poetic paean to stars both real and metaphorical brings the heavenly down to readers without robbing it of mystery.

Calmly and directly, Ray addresses the reader in this gentle, somnolent narrative. "A star is how you know it's night. / As soon as you see one, there's another, and another. / And the dark that comes doesn't feel as dark." Like a lulling tide, the text moves easily between grounded practical advice ("...[Y]ou can draw a star on / shiny paper and cut around it. / Then you can put it in your pocket") and naturalistic metaphor: "Blow a ball of dandelion and you blow / a thousand stars into the sky." Frazee excels at illustrating textual details in fresh ways, keeping young children engaged and curious. In a spread attesting that stars are there, even if they sometimes can't be seen, the artist depicts—low and dwarfed on the picture plane—a long row of people viewing spectacular fireworks. Her pictures ebb and flow with the text, alternating charming spots of self-possessed, spirited youngsters with ink-black or gloriously blue, starry heavens inviting dreamy meditation.

Ideal for bedtime, this will shine on through repeat readings. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pamela Paul

Does anyone illustrate the facial expressions, postures and movements of children with the same gloriously authentic exuberance as Marla Frazee?
—The New York Times Book Review

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781442422490
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Publication date: 10/4/2011
Pages: 40
Sales rank: 13,181
Age range: 2 - 6 Years
Lexile: AD560L (what's this?)
Product dimensions: 8.10 (w) x 12.20 (h) x 0.40 (d)

Meet the Author

Mary Lyn Ray is a conservationist and author of several picture books for children. Ray's texts are often praised for their lyricism and emotional depth, and in her works she frequently focuses on humankind's relationship with nature. Among her critically acclaimed titles are Christmas Farm, Pumpkins, Shaker Boy, and Welcome, Brown Bird.

Marla Frazee has illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon, which received a 2010 Caldecott Honor; Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers; and Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! by Mem Fox; as well as her own The Boss Baby; Walk On!; Roller Coaster; Santa Claus the World’s Number One Toy Expert; and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, which received a 2009 Caldecott Honor. She is also the illustrator of the bestselling Clementine chapter book series by Sara Pennypacker. She lives with her family in Pasadena, California. Visit her at MarlaFrazee.com.

Customer Reviews

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Nora_W_K

Posted October 5, 2011

Such a lovely story!

I was looking for a book about stars to read in class for my daughter's fifth birthday, and was so happy to find this book. It's very sweet and simple, but the messages are profound. For a group of five year olds, the subtle references to feelings truly resonate. The artwork is beautiful and encourages children to look for stars in everyday life. This book would make a lovely gift for a birthday or holiday.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Anonymous

Posted November 16, 2011

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