Anthony DeStefano is the bestselling author of many Christian picture books. Among the most famous of these is This Little Prayer of Mine (Waterbrook Multnomah, 2010), which was selected by the National Day of Prayer Task Force as a resource. His newest book is Little Star.
Plot of Little Star
The stars up in the sky were very excited. They had been waiting for the birth of a king with a special message for generations. The rumor was that the king was about to be born. The star that could shine the brightest when the king was born would get a special reward. The stars were all being shined by comets and practicing their shining for that special night.
Among the stars was Little Star. He was the smallest star in the sky. The other stars usually ignored him because he was so small. The comets ignored him as well. Little Star felt very sad and his points began to droop.
Finally one cold night the stars learned the king was about to be born. They eagerly watched a young couple traveling on a donkey. The stars soon realized this couldn't be the king's family because they were poor. The stars ignored the family and looked for another baby about to be born.
Little Star felt something special from this baby when it was born in the stable. He quickly realized that perhaps this was the king whose coming was told. Little Star begins to shine as bright as he can.
Little Star kept shining despite the fact that the other stars told him he would burn himself out if he wasn't careful. Little Star felt such love from this baby that he kept shining brighter and brighter. Eventually he did burn himself out.
The little baby born in the stable was the special King just as Little Star had thought. Little Star was given the reward he sought and a very special part in Christmas.
Illustrations in Little Star
Mark Elliot is the illustrator of Little Star. His illustrations can be seen in DeStefano's other books as well as in the Princess series by Gail Carson Levine. His use of bright colors and realistic images make the illustrations very much a part of the story. The illustrations add to the story and can be used by pre-readers to read the story again and again. The reader feels the excitement and joy Little Star feels largely due to the illustrations as well as the text's tone.
Uses for Little Star
This book makes a good starting point for a discussion of the true meaning of Christmas. So many people are like the other stars, they question the identity of Christ as the Lord of all. This book gives the faithful a good message and provides knowledge for the less than faithful.
This book would make an excellent addition to any collection of children's Christmas stories. It can be read again and again, year after year to reinforce the meaning of Christmas. It is destined to become a Christmas classic.
This book, which started as an assignment DeStefano had to write for a class, would make an excellent Christmas gift when paired with a star for atop a Christmas tree. The simple explanation of why stars on top of Christmas trees can be enjoyed by everyone.
Little Star by Anthony DeStefano, illustrated by Mark Elliot
Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing, 2010
ISBN: 978-0307458056
Kelley Huston - A reader of all kinds of books, Kelley is an teacher who loves crafts and scrapbooking. She is a Disney fan who loves all things Disney.
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