Book Review—The North Star written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Candlewick (April 14, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0763636770
ISBN-13: 978-0763636777
Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
I have been admiring the achievements of Peter H. Reynolds for years, first as a mother of three young children and an ardent consumer of his books and now as a fellow author, content producer, and entrepreneur. As we explore entrepreneurship during the month of January at Little Pickle Press, it is only fitting that I write a review of The North Star, a wonderful picture book about actualizing dreams, for audiences young and mature.
The Story: This is exactly my kind of book. It provokes meaningful discussions between parents and children, teachers and students. It causes the reader to stop and wonder. What do the mixed messages in the illustrations represent? Are there any in my life? Why do I listen to so many other voices and not my own? What will happen if I chose my own path?
The Artwork: Peter’s ink and watercolor illustrations are soft, beautiful, and evocative. Each stroke of the pen and the brush matters to the interpretation of the words. The color palette is relatively muted until the end of the story as the main character is guided by bright stars and discovers the key to his journey as symbolized by a bright red boat.
The Passion: Peter writes a note to his readers at the beginning of the book. He encourages readers to, “Take a moment to slow down to a more thoughtful pace, to ponder, reflect, imagine, and envision. Take the time to believe in your dreams, to celebrate possibility.” He is a self-proclaimed “advocate for creativity and children of all ages,” and this book masterfully serves his purpose.
The Message: The underlying message is to follow your inner compass, to march to the beat of your own drummer, and in so doing to actualize your own dreams. The message reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by Linda DuPuy Moore—“Follow your dreams and pursue them with courage, for it is the pursuit of those dreams that makes life really worth living.” What a powerful message to give the architects of our future, our children.
My Only Issue: My only suggestion for improvement is that I wish the book were more environmentally-friendly, that is, printed on recycled paper with soy inks and without a dust jacket.
The Conclusion: Buy at Amazon or borrow this book and read it to the little pickles in your life. I will be giving it as a gift for dreamers of all ages for a long time to come, and I imagine that you may do the same.
5 comments:
He has the coolest websites! Some with interactive games to play. And The Blue Bunny Books & Toys store looks cool, too. They have a birthday club that looks like a neat idea.
Peter H. Reynolds is a favorite in our home. We have nearly every book he has created in our home library. Each conveys an important message in a delightful manner. The North Star is a special book that helps children to be OK with following their inner compass.
This is great book by a wonderful writer/artist. He offers wonderful clip art on he's site, check it out: http://www.fablevision.com/education/clipart/index.html
Thank you for such an interesting review!!
I absolutely love his artwork and his charming books. They are always very simple and understated, but contain so much. My favorite is "ish". I used to read it to my art students to help them love their own artwork for what it is.
ponder, reflect, imagine, and envision....if only for a minute, everyday.
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