Twinkle, Star of the Week

February 1, 2010
K-Gr 2-Twinkle is a pupil in a class of stars taught by Ms. Sun at Sky School. When the teacher announces that each student will get a turn to be Star of the Week, Twinkle begins practicing the song she wants to share with the class ("Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," of course). She is disappointed when another child sings it first, but is thrilled when, in her bed at night, someone sends her a wish, and she gets an idea. "Last night, I was chosen as a Wishing Star!" she proclaims in class, and the other "stars" line up to confide in her. Although there is a long tradition of anthropomorphized stars in storytelling, this book pushes the boundaries. The combination of celestial beings floating in dark space with childhood mundanities like cookies and Sharing Time is not easy to swallow. The mix of realistic star details (orbiting planets, visibility from Earth) with fantastical details (a furnished classroom in space, pet comets) creates a somewhat shaky internal logic. Twinkle's sudden transformation into a sky-bound Dear Abby also makes little sense. The endpapers have random star facts that might bolster readers' understanding of some of the story's humor. The digital cartoon-style illustrations are bold and colorful. Children will be amused by the humanoid figures with five- and six-pointed stars for heads, and the glitter on the front cover is sure to get attention, but the story itself is sadly lacking."Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL"

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