A Universal Connection

Each month during the new moon going outside very late at night or very early in the morning, when the rest of the world is sleeping, the number of stars spread across the darkened, cloudless sky is spectacular.  It's a display only Mother Nature can produce.  If you are fortunate one of those stars will decide it's time for you to make a wish.  They will fall arching toward the horizon.

There are those who gaze at those stars and wonder what it would be like to walk among them, much as you would wander through a meadow of daisies.  Stardust (Nosy Crow, an imprint of Candlewick Press, February 12, 2019) written by Jeanne Willis with illustrations by Briony May Smith is a tale of a little girl who dreams of stars.  She is also searching for something everyone needs.

When I was little,
I wanted to be a star.

The members of her family thought her older sister was a star.  When her sister found a precious lost item, made something and won a contest, she received top-notch praise.  The younger child could not seem to earn that kind of recognition.

In fact, after her most recent loss, she burst into tears.  That night sitting outside and watching the stars, our protagonist wished out loud to be one of them.  Her grandfather heard her.

He told her she was already a star.  In a story to her he offered an explanation as to this truth.  He took her back, back, back in time.  There was nothing.  Slowly he brought her forward describing how everything and everyone was and is connected by stardust.

She asked him another question.  His answer warmed her on the inside, until she sparkled on the outside.  She never stopped.


With her first sentence author Jeanne Willis invites readers to remember past wishes and hold fresh wishes in their hearts.  She continues by showing us several examples, three, where the little girl feels like her dream of being a star is never going to come true.  By having the grandfather offer support and a special story to his granddaughter, this narrative bridges generations.   Weaving dialogue into the first-person narrative makes it more personal for us.  Here is a passage.

When Nana showed us how to
knit, the scarf I made for Granddad
was full of holes.

But the scarf my sister made for Nana wasn't.
"It's perfect.  You little star!"
said Nana.


Rendered in mixed media by Briony May Smith, the illustrations, beginning with the open matching dust jacket and book case, radiate warmth and a golden light.  The scene on the front, right, extends over the spine with the trunk of the tree reaching into the lower left-hand corner.  Additional delicate flowers in shades of blue spring up near the trunk.  In the distance nearby homes dot the hillside, windows gleaming in the night.  The title text and a ribbon of stars on the front of the dust jacket are done in silver foil.

On the opening and closing endpapers the darker yellow-orange color becomes the canvas.  Prior to the verso and title pages, the little girl is place on a creamy white background, seated and reading an astronomy book.  She is wearing her star-shaped barrettes.   On the verso and title pages a pathway leads into the hillside community at night.  It's done in hues of blue, green, white and yellow.

Each of the images span double-pages, reaching out and wrapping around readers.  They are familial scenes with parents, grandparents and the two daughters.  In one we enjoy a backyard picnic with a swing hanging from the big tree.  Careful readers will see a black cat in several of the pictures.  Many of the illustrations have at least one book in them.

When Granddad is telling his story, the settings in space, the sea and a jungle are breathtaking.  The featured children and their parents come from diverse backgrounds.  Another thing not mentioned in the text but added by Briony May Smith is the gift Granddad gives to his younger granddaughter.  This is a beautiful extension of the story.  We see him carrying something when he hears her making the wish.  It isn't until her final question and his answer we see it opened and laying on the nighttime meadow.  Readers will be fascinated with all the details found in every visual.

One of my many favorite illustrations is when Granddad and the little girl are under the sea.  Across two pages Briony May Smith has placed sea creatures of all shapes and sizes in shimmering colors of yellow, green, blue and purple.  There are mammals, dolphins, with sea turtles and jellyfish.  A shaft of light shines on the single word of text.  Granddad is stretched out with his legs crossed and his arms behind his head.  A smile tugs on his mouth.  He is wearing the holey scarf.  The little girl is extending her nose to give a nuzzle to a dolphin.  I love how Granddad and his granddaughter are wearing their ordinary clothes in all these special settings.


Who has not felt less than they should in a family, classroom or community setting?  Stardust written by Jeanne Willis with illustrations by Briony May Smith allows readers to see we all have something special to offer this world.  We have the potential to make our dreams come true, even if we want to be a star.  This is a welcome addition to your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Jeanne Willis and Briony May Smith and their other work, please follow the links attached to their names to access their websites.  Briony May Smith maintains an account on Tumblr, Instagram and Twitter.  At Nosy Crow and Candlewick Press you can view interior images.

Baking Light

As long as the moon glows among the stars in our night sky, people will gaze upward at its light.  Its rhythm from a new moon to a full moon and back gives watchers an overall feeling of tranquility.  It's a comforting constant.

In the French language the word for why is pourquoi.  It is often associated with origin stories under the umbrella of folktales.  A BIG Mooncake for Little Star (Little, Brown And Company, August 28, 2018) written and illustrated by Grace Lin is an original, tender, and exquisite explanation of the phases of the moon.

Little Star's mama laid the Big Mooncake onto the night sky to cool.

This celestial mother and her daughter had just finished baking.  Little Star's mama did not want her to touch this mooncake until she was given permission.  Little Star enthusiastically agreed with the request.  As each portion of her bedtime ritual was performed Little Star remembered her promise.

Suddenly in the middle of the night Little Star woke up.  The only thing she wanted to do was touch the Big Mooncake. She left her bed and quietly went to that tempting treat. Would her mother notice if she touched it?  Would her mother notice if she took a teeny, tiny bite?  It was scrumptious!  Wait!  Was that a noise?

Each night Little Star wondered if the Big Mooncake was still hanging in the sky.  It was.  Each night she took a bite.  She sighed with pleasure at the taste before scurrying back to bed.  When you add all those nights of nibbles together all you have left is nothing.

Little Star's mama discovered the Big Mooncake was missing.  When her mother came to her bed asking if she ate the Big Mooncake again, Little Star only had one answer.  Little Star had a suggestion and her mama, like Little Star, only had one answer.


Each time Grace Lin tells a story, we tuck it away in our hearts to remember forever.  In this tale of the bond between a loving parent and her child, a flawless blend of narrative and dialogue gives us an intimate portrait of their relationship.  The use of sound effects adds to the endearing quality of the story.  Readers are alerted to a possible outcome through the repetition of key phrases which also supplies a gentle cadence.  Here is a passage.

Pat pat pat.
Little Star's soft feet tiptoed to the Big Mooncake.

Would Mama notice if she took a tiny nibble?
Little Star didn't think so.
Mmmmm, yum!


The rich black background peppered with stars stretches across the opened dust jacket, left to right and over the spine.  Little Star holding a Big Mooncake is a depiction of delight as she enjoys the delicious pastry.  There is a bit of a mystery for readers looking at this jacket.  We are not sure yet what will unfold.  To the left on the back Little Star is seated, enjoying a little nibble from a crescent moon.  This image is captioned

Watch the phases of the moon transform as
Little Star takes a bite of the Big Mooncake!

Across the opened book case in a series of twelve small illustrations, left to right and top to bottom, Little Star is taking nibbles from the Big Mooncake changing it from a full moon to a sliver.  The matching opening and closing endpapers honor Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal.  Grace Lin has hidden many wonderful elements in these endpapers referencing that title and our night sky and its constellations.  Little Star intent on helping make the Big Mooncake is unaware of the look on her mother's face but we see the love.

Rendered in

Turner Design Gouache on Arches 100% Rag Watercolor Paper 140 lb. Hot Press Bright White

these illustrations convey the spirit of a shared and cherished endeavor done in relative quiet.  There is a hush radiating from these pages.  Yet, we know the conversations between mother and child are lively but soft, not loud.

The dark clothing covered in stars Little Star and her mother wear add to the overall atmosphere.  The facial expressions on both Little Star and her mother are a study in mood and emotion.  The black background becomes one of the elements in each picture; most of them spanning two pages.

Grace shifts the point of view in each visual to enhance her careful pacing.  When Little Star wakes up in the middle of the night the first time, we are close to the top portion of her face on the left.  On the right the Big Mooncake is waiting for her.  On another night Little Star is much smaller and seated next to the Big Mooncake nibbling.  Her toy rabbit is keeping her company. They are shown on the right side in a larger starry sky.

One of my many favorite illustrations spans two pages.  In the upper, left-hand corner is a portion of the Big Mooncake.  We are close to Little Star as she races back to bed; her figure moving from the left, over the gutter and taking up most of the right side.  Mooncake crumbs are scattered on her face and streaming behind her.  Her face is smiling.  It looks as though she might be giggling.


This book, A BIG Mooncake for Little Star written and illustrated by Grace Lin, is one of the most enchanting explanation tales you will ever read.  It's about love and the lure of something delectable.  You can use it to focus on the moon phases, cultural folktales, artwork paying homage to another artist, or family.  I highly recommend this title for your professional and personal collections.

To learn more about Grace Lin and her other work, please follow the links attached to her name to access two different websites.  The cover for this title is revealed at All The Wonders.  On the book's birthday Scholastic's Ambassador of School Libraries, John Schumacher, highlighted a video on his blog, Watch. Connect. Read.  In this video Grace chats about this book, why she wrote it and speaks about the endpapers.

(I don't know about you but now I am craving authentic mooncakes.)

Starry Memories

No camping experience is complete without at least one night of star gazing.  During the summer in the northern hemisphere away from the city lights, the best time for viewing stars is before, during and after a new moon.  It is the darkest time of those short nights.  In 2018 there has been no lack of events to witness in our night skies. In fact in four days, the Perseid meteor showers will begin their amazing show.

During a night of star gazing the topic of navigating by the stars usually makes its way into a conversation.  For those residing north of the equator, one particular star never sets.  It helps us all to find the four compass points.   First Star: A Bear And Mole Story (Holiday House, May 1, 2018) written and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, a fifth book about these two lovable characters, takes us on a single night journey.  It's brimming with an explanatory tale, a revelation about an important constellation and the joy of an affectionate bond.

Mole gazed up.

Looking up at the sky Mole has a question for Bear.  He wants to

see the stars turn on.

Bear replies with a suggestion of hiking to Camp Tiptop.  Mole gets their blanket (tent) and they both fill their backpacks with necessary items.

They climb and climb until getting to the top of this rocky mountain.  Once they are there, Mole has another question.  He is concerned about getting lost in the dark.  He decides he wants to go back home.  Again Bear answers.

Bear knows a good story can dispel fears.  He takes Mole back in time to First Father Bear, First Mother Bear and First Little Bear.  They lived as bears do today but at night, it was darker than the darkest dark. 

First Little Bear and First Mother Bear make a large bright light with Earth's materials.  First Little Bear continues using more of Earth's materials spreading smaller lights all over the night sky.  Then First Father Bear does the most amazing thing of all. He gives a name to his accomplishment before doing one more thing.  As our two companions, Bear and Mole, gaze at the stars, the nighttime sky gives them a final surprise.


For our younger readers (and those young at heart) Will Hillenbrand has penned a narrative ringing true to their tender hearts.  First we come to understand the affectionate relationship between Bear and Mole. The comfort Mole feels in asking questions and Bear's patience in answering are indicative of this bond.

With ease, through their dialogue, Bear weaves a story of his own about the origin of celestial bodies.  Several of Bear's thoughts are downright profound.  At the conclusion Will continues by adding a bit of universal folklore about stars.  Here is a passage.

So, First Little Bear helped his mother
dig up white clay.

They shaped it into a ball.  The ball was Moon.
Moon shone brightly.

"Look, Bear, I 
see a funny face
on the Moon!"
called Mole. 


When you first open the matching dust jacket and book case, the friendship between Bear and Mole is apparent in the way Bear holds Mole and the ease Mole feels in Bear's arms.  The joy they feel at sharing this nighttime adventure is evident and shining in their happy expressions. You will come to understand the choice by Will Hillenbrand to depict his stars as small circular shapes but you will also notice the star on the lantern carried by Mole and the use of a star to dot the "I".

The starry sky extends over the spine to the left edge of the back.  An outline of Ursa Minor points toward our pals.  Readers will enjoy running their hands over the jacket to feel the textures.  The title text, Mole's lantern glass and the little bear on the back are raised and glittery.

A pale blue covers the opening and closing endpapers.  Beneath the text on the title page, Mole stands looking upward and holding his lantern.  On the verso and dedication pages, Mole crawls from under their blanket tent.  On the underside it is patterned in stars.

Rendered in direct impression and pencil most of the illustrations span two pages.  Several smaller images are grouped together to indicate the passage of time on a few pages.  During the telling of the origin story two of the pictures show the bears from the past larger than life in the sky with Bear and Mole seated on a log, much smaller and in the lower right hand corner.  Will Hillenbrand's shifts in perspective are marvelous.  His vertical two-page picture will have readers gasping. (So will the following two illustrations.)

One of my many favorite illustrations is the one for the text noted in the above passage.  It stretches across two pages.  An uneven faint outline in black frames the night sky on all four sides.  On the left First Mother Bear and First Little Bear are shaping the ball glowing in the sky.  They are standing on clouds.  On the right three evergreen trees rise in the meadow grass like black lace.  To the left of them sitting on a log are a smaller Mole and Bear.  They are looking skyward as if watching the work of the First Bears.  Mole's lantern glows on his left.


The marvelous charm of First Star: A Bear And Mole Story written and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand wraps around readers like a cozy blanket.  Perfect for a bedtime story, a story about friendship, and the origin of celestial bodies, this book will become a favorite. You might want to have a bear and mole puppet handy to try a reader's theater with your group of children.  You could also pair this with books about camping like Molly Idle's Camp Rex, or titles about nighttime exploration like Flashlight by Lizi Boyd.

To learn more about Will Hillenbrand and his other work, please visit his website by following the link attached to his name.  At the publisher's website you can access a lesson plan to use along with this title. Enjoy the videos.

A Gift Freely Given

It simply wouldn't be Christmas morning without hearing the sound of her voice.   We would gather in the living room sitting on the floor in front of an old cabinet-size radio and record player unit.  A melody from an orchestra would introduce the beginning and softly provide background music as Loretta Young, an American actress, read The Littlest Angel written by Charles Tazewell.

For decades this was the only version of the story we knew.  About fifteen years ago I was able to obtain a print edition illustrated by Sergio Leone (text copyright 1946).  It along with the recording provided the basis for a children's sermon I gave on a Christmas Eve.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, a new angel,

...exactly four years, six months, five days, seven hours and forty-two minutes of age...

is residing in the heavenly hosts.  He may be among angels but he acts exactly like a boy his age living on Earth.  The Understanding Angel asks him what he misses most.  His reply is a box of treasures left under his bed.

On the day of the birth of Jesus Christ the only gift this angel has to give is his most prized possession from home, a worn and battered wooden box filled with items from his boyhood.   He is humbled and tearful when he places it with the other glittering presents left by the other angels.  To the littlest angel's surprise the voice of God proclaims it as the gift which pleases him most.  It is raised into the night sky to become the Christmas Star shining over the stable in Bethlehem.

This year a story of another small angel is presented to readers.  Star Bright:  A Christmas Story (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division, September 30, 2014) written by Alison McGhee with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds opens with big news.  Like leaves falling from trees, paper announcements drift through the heavens reading,

The Herald GOOD NEWS Prince of Peace on His Way

It was the end of December, and a baby was soon to be born.

Angels are beside themselves with joy.  On Earth presents are being gathered by men of wisdom.  A new angel, a small girl, wants to find a gift too.  She thinks as hard as she can about those things a baby likes.

First she thinks of light breezes, gentle drops of rain and soothing songs.  These she cannot give.  They don't belong to her; they don't come from her.

As she peers out at the cosmos its sheer size makes her feel tiny in comparison.  Even with the light of celestial bodies there is a lot of darkness.  Sometimes the dark can make you feel alone.  Sometimes the dark can make you feel lost.

Not only do you feel lost, you might be literally lost; unable to locate familiar signposts.  With that thought she knows what she can give to the baby.  With that thought she closes her eyes, opens her wings and soars.


Her sentences are simple but bring us wonder with her words, lovely visual images.  Alison McGhee speaks to the child, the child in all of us regardless of our age.  How many times have you stood beneath the night sky gazing up at the countless stars spread across your view?  Everything seems to float away so it is only you and the stars.  This is what the little girl angel is sensing and we are kin to her in this.  McGhee brings her innocence to the page and her desire to help those in need.  Here is a sample passage.

Rain?
Rain to cool the baby's skin.
Rain to fill the puddles.
But rain was the gift of the clouds. 


The predominant use of purple in the illustrations rendered in pen, ink and watercolor then enhanced digitally by Peter H. Reynolds conveys the significance of the story.  It is also reminiscent of the sudden breathtaking colors seen in the sky as the day ends and twilight shifts into night.  On the front of the matching dust jacket and cover the newest angel sees the three well-known travelers from her celestial perch.  On the back, in a new picture with a white background amid swirls of watercolor at the top and bottom, she is again on her pedestal looking upward this time.  The words beneath her read

One very small angel.
One very important baby
about to be born.
One very special gift
to be given...
but...what?

Red opening and closing endpapers represent the warmth of this story.  On the initial title page Reynolds acquaints us with this angel as she reaches out to grasp one of the announcements. On the formal title page she stands on a platform, a ladder reaching skyward amid clouds tinged in shades of purple.

All of the images span across two pages.  Barefoot and wearing a three-piece suit like the other angels, Reynolds does give this very special being some additional items.  She is wearing an old style aviator helmet with goggles and a scarf around her neck.  (I may be drawing parallels where they are not intended but truthfully I am reminded of brave women airplane pilots of the past.  This little angel has a selfless spirit, a willingness to fly into the unknown for the sake of others.)

Of particular interest is the means this angel has to give vision to her thoughts; computer-like monitors are attached to various circular pedestals among the clouds.  This adds a bit of extra light-heartedness to the pictures.  Each of the Earthly scenes is done with attention to the realistic landscape but reverence to the events.

One of my favorite visuals is of the angel thinking about giving rain as a gift.  In this, as in the two others, the background is entirely white.  We are closer to her than in any other picture.  Her eyes are closed as her extended hands reach out to feel the drops of water.  There is pure peace to be seen in this illustration.

Whether you are familiar with The Littlest Angel or not, this book, Star Bright:  A Christmas Story written by Alison McGhee with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds is one of the most beautiful narratives I have ever read about the origin of the Christmas Star.  It is not about the giving of something but the gift of self.  You will want to add it to your collection of Christmas titles making the reading of it a yearly tradition.

Please follow the links embedded in Alison McGhee's and Peter H. Reynolds' names to access their websites.  At the publisher's website are more illustrations from this title including my favorite.  

Wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas!  May your life be guided by the gift of a single brilliant star.