The star in you

On the first day of school, a child learns about the different ways we can nurture, grow, and share the spark within. Each of us has a star deep inside. The stars all vary in color. They can be shy and frightened, sometimes shrinking until they aren't even shaped like a star. Some stars are bent; sometimes they even break. Sometimes a star "may start to scratch / like an itch in your throat." Sometimes, it fills your eyes with a twinkle. As a young child starts school, readers see how the star within changes as the youngster experiences different emotions, like being scared or feeling lonely in the cafeteria. Another student reaches out with an overture of friendship, but the protagonist trips and falls--and withdraws, throwing the star in the trash. But, with the help of a sympathetic adult, the child learns how to make the star grow and glow again--and then how to use that light to help others glow. Readers are asked what they will do with their own stars and light. Told in rhyming, lyrical verse, this is a moving reminder of our potential and the kindness we can share with others. Relying on watercolorlike washes of color and arresting imagery, the illustrations propel the story forward and add context to the minimal text. The protagonist has light brown skin and appears Asian; other characters are diverse. Vibrant and inspiring.(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.