Are Your Stars Like My Stars?

Walking the reader through a series of eight colors, Are Your Stars Like My Stars explores each color as it is experienced by children in their own world, highlighting the different things with which a color may be associated for different cultures and places. Each color is showcased in two scenes, the first presented in lyrical verse as well as illustration and the second unfolding only through gorgeous mixed-media illustrations. Phrases mirroring “Is your black . . . like my black?” for each color link the two scenes and provide a parallel framework that feels connective rather than repetitive. Although the text itself is occasionally difficult to read set against the illustrations (particularly on the color blue page), which distracts from the otherwise excellent poetic flow, the original rhymes and pleasing cadence shine through as soon as one is familiar with where to look. The masterful incorporation of photographed texture in the illustrations (snippets of fabric used as clothing, furry alpaca, real cotton-candy, etc.) is clever and creates a very distinctive style that adds to the depth and authenticity. While the genre of color book may be stereotypically pigeon-holed as best suited for the board book format, this book is so substantive that it slides seamlessly into the picture book format for older readers.