Touch the Brightest Star

by Christie Matheson (Author) Christie Matheson (Illustrator)

Touch the Brightest Star
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade

This interactive bedtime story proves nighttime isn't scary at all. The gentle journey from sunset to sunrise shows even the youngest children the magic of the nighttime sky--and lets them make magic happen! A companion to the popular and acclaimed Tap the Magic Tree. This board book edition is the perfect size for little hands.

What happens while you're sleeping? With lush, beautiful watercolors and cut-paper collage, Christie Matheson reveals the magic of the nighttime sky, using the same kinds of toddler-perfect interactive elements as her acclaimed Tap the Magic Tree. Wave good-bye to the sun, gently press the firefly, make a wish on a star, rub the owls on their heads, and . . . shhhh. No two readings of this book will be the same. That along with the gentle, soothing rhythm, makes Touch the Brightest Star a bedtime winner--no matter how many times you and your child read it.

"This exploration of the world at night should be inviting to even the very youngest children, who will also enjoy its imagination-fueled and child-powered interactivity."--The Horn Book

Select format:
Board Books
$9.99

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-Matheson follows up her Tap the Magic Tree (Greenwillow, 2013) with a sunset to sunrise journey through the nighttime sky. As before, readers are invited to interact with the story using a motion, thought, or words that provoke a change with every turn of the page. First fireflies, a deer, stars, and constellations appear, then a full moon and owls take their turn. All is finally still until the first light of dawn, when the magic of the day returns. The simple text is engaging and conversational and little ones responding to each prompt are not likely to be distracted by the occasional faulty rhyme. The mixed-media collage art features a palette of blues as gentle and warm as a summer evening. Full-page illustrations evoke the expanse of space while the nearly transparent earthly creatures enhance the peaceful ambiance of this magical reading experience. Those who are interested in the science behind the magic will enjoy the final page, which provides some basic information about the nocturnal world depicted. VERDICT A charming bedtime story.

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"A charming bedtime story."—School Library Journal
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780062274489
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Greenwillow Books
Publication date
January 20, 2017
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV009100 - Juvenile Fiction | Concepts | Seasons
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
JUV020000 - Juvenile Fiction | Interactive Adventures
Library of Congress categories
Bedtime
Stories in rhyme
Night
Board books

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