{"id":35987,"date":"2019-03-06T23:48:17","date_gmt":"2019-03-07T03:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=35987"},"modified":"2019-03-06T23:48:17","modified_gmt":"2019-03-07T03:48:17","slug":"review-of-the-stuff-of-stars-by-marion-dane-bauer-illustrated-by-ekua-holmes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=35987","title":{"rendered":"Review of The Stuff of Stars, by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Ekua Holmes"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The Stuff of Stars<\/em><\/p>\n

by Marion Dane Bauer
\nillustrated by Ekua Holmes<\/p>\n

Candlewick Press, 2018. 36 pages.
\nStarred Review
\nReview written September 25, 2018, from a library book
\n2019 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award
\n2018 Sonderbooks Stand-out<\/a>:
\n#2 General Picture Books<\/p>\n

The Stuff of Stars<\/em> is a gorgeous and glorious book.<\/p>\n

The book is an extra large square, so it\u2019s got a weighty presence. All the pages use marbled papers in swirly patterns. The front cover has the title in gold-sparkled lettering like star clusters.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how the book begins, on black paper with other dark swirled colors and one white dot:<\/p>\n

In the dark,
\nin the dark,
\nin the deep, deep dark,
\na speck floated,
\ninvisible as thought,
\nweighty as God.
\nThere was yet no time,
\nthere was yet no space.
\nNo up,
\nno down,
\nno edge,
\nno center.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It goes on to poetically talk about the Big Bang on the third spread. And slowly how the stars and worlds formed. Christians, there\u2019s plenty of room to explain to your child that God\u2019s responsible for that Big Bang.<\/p>\n

I like when it talks about what isn\u2019t there yet:<\/p>\n

And throughout the cosmos
\nstars caught fire.
\nTrillions of stars,
\nbut still no planets
\nto attend those stars.
\nAnd if no planets,
\nthen no oceans,
\nno mountains,
\nno hippopotami.
\nNo violets blooming
\nin a shady wood,
\nno crickets singing
\nto the night.
\nNo day,
\nno night.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Next, planets are formed, and even Earth, \u201cone lucky planet, a fragile blue ball.\u201d And it talks about the creatures that were formed on earth, from mitochondria to sharks, daisies, and galloping horses.<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s a shift of gears:<\/p>\n

Then one day . . .
\nin the dark,
\nin the dark,
\nin the deep, deep dark,
\nanother speck floated,
\ninvisible as dreams,
\nspecial as Love.<\/p>\n

Waiting,
\nwaiting,
\ndividing,
\nchanging,
\ngrowing.
\nUntil at last,
\nYOU burst into the world.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And it builds to the cozy image of two people cuddling together, the same as on the cover.<\/p>\n

The random list of earth\u2019s creatures combined with the glorious swirling images is a perfect pairing.<\/p>\n

You
\nand the velvet moss,
\nthe caterpillars,
\nthe lions.<\/p>\n

You and the singing whales,
\nthe larks,
\nthe frogs.<\/p>\n

You,
\nand me
\nloving you.
\nAll of us
\nthe stuff of stars.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A marvelous and wondrous book.<\/p>\n

candlewick.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/stuff_of_stars.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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