Book Title:  Stars 
Author: Mary Lyn Ray 

Illustrator: Marla Frazee

Publisher: Beach Lane Books  
Date Published: 2011
ISBN:  9781442422490
 

About the book:

In Mary Lyn Ray's book Stars she talks about the importance of stars and that stars are everywhere, not just in the sky. Stars help us know what time of day it is since they always come out at night. Despite the darkness of the night, we have stars to help guide us like the night lights of the sky. Stars can be found in other places too, like the ones on the end of a wand can wave around like magical fairies, the stickers we might receive at school or at home for doing something good, and stars can even be in the form of snowflakes and flowers. Some days you might even feel like a star yourself. Maybe even draw your own star to keep in your pocket or share with a friend. Stars can be found everywhere, in many different forms. However, the stars in the sky come only at night and can only be seen with a little bit of darkness. 

Book Review

Of the three that I have read for this week's blog about realistic fiction, this ones my favorite. I like it because it focuses on such a simple but powerful subject. Stars in the night sky are so fascinating to me and presenting them in different playful, childlike forms that are relative to children makes them more significant. I think this book would be useful to help children understand that words or ideas can have more than one meaning and found in more than one place. Stars can also stimulate a child's creativity and imagination giving them the motivation to create something of their own. The illustrations are just really adorable and special. The pictures take up most of the page and then the words are almost penciled into the scene, produced in a childish font. Frazee's color choice makes the illustrations look calming yet appealing. As far as the target audience of the book goes this story may have less of an appeal to adults than it would to children.