#524 - The Stuff of Stars

by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by Ekua Holmes

“The Stuff of Stars” by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by Ekua Holmes. Published by Candlewick Press. A stunning picture book showcasing how all of us are an integral part of the universe and made up of the same matter as it.

The book starts off when there was no time or space yet. It was dark and a speck was floating around deep in this dark. It was as invisible as a thought is but quite powerful as God is. Earth was not there nor were there other planets. No life existed therefore. Then came the beginning of everything that we know of today with a Big Bang! This led to the birth of the universe.

The formation of universe set a lot of things into motion. The stars were burning and some of them exploded flinging their stardust everywhere. This eventually led to the formation of planets. Earth came into being. It was conducive for life forms of various kinds to evolve from the same stardust. Some forms like dinosaurs had to die to make room for the next set of species like us humans. Read the gorgeous book to be a part of the exploration of how the universe was formed by the Big Bang and realise how each one of us is connected to the universe.

The book is a visual stunner and an engrossing read to say the least. The narrative in verse format had me and my 9.5 year old hooked right from the start. Told in a simple but effective manner, the magic of the creation of universe comes through beautifully. Every one reading the book is bound to feel a connect with the universe. The magical words complemented wonderfully by the gorgeous artwork left us in awe. We couldn’t resist going back and forth through the pages to appreciate and savour the beautiful representation of the narrative. Thanks to a recommendation post in the reading raccoons group on Facebook, I had added this book to our wish list. A fabulous deal on Amazon made me buy it sometime last year. I was a bit apprehensive if I was too late in buying the book for my son and he would not appreciate it. But my doubts were laid to rest as I saw him engage in it wholeheartedly while we read it at bedtime. The book is a great means to introduce the creation of universe to children. It won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award in 2019.

Recommended Age

The book is apt for children aged 5/6 and above.