Stars

Starred review from August 15, 2011
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.

April 15, 2011

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)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

Starred review from October 1, 2011

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

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2011
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Stars. Who hasn't looked up in the sky and contemplated their magical presence? On tall, oversize pages, mostly filled with a heavenly blue sky, diminutive kids point and watch as first one star appears, and then another, and another. The text asks, What if you could have a star? They shine like little silver eggs you could gather in a basket. Unfortunately, you can't keep one, but you can draw a star on shiny paper and put it in your pocket. You could stick one on your shirt and be a sheriff or put one on a wand to make wishes come true. And as the text reveals, there are so many more things to do with stars. The winning combination of Ray and Frazee crystallizes these ideas into a near-perfect picture book that encourages children's minds to wander and wonder. The airy illustrations move across the pages like clouds in the sky, showing star shapes everywhere, even in strawberry plants, pumpkin vines, and snowflakes. In a final message, the book asks children to remember that stars are around whether you see them or not: Every night. Everywhere. Lovely.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)