Holy Night and Little Star - Perfect Picture Book Friday

Holy Night and Little Star is a beautifully written and illustrated picture book that offers a new take on the standard Christmas story.

When the story opens, we see Little Star hovering low in the night sky. She twinkles “above the hills, small and faint.” And when newborn lambs open their eyes, she’s the first light they see. (Love the purposeful resonance later in the story when Jesus opens his eyes for the first time.) Little Star is perfectly happy with her low-to-the-horizon position in the sky, with her gentle gleam, and hopes things never change.

But when Maker (the name used instead of God) gathers all in the galaxy to ask for help on Holy Night, Little Star hides behind the moon.

Text ©Mitali Perkins Illustrations©Khoa Le

She hears Maker’s requests as being “too hard” and “too scary.” But Maker seeks her out and tells her he needs her help, too, so she should be ready. Little Star wonders and worries “how in the heavens” she can help.

It turns out that by just being herself, and confident in her gentle gleam, she can do exactly what Maker needs.

This story is sure to appeal to many of those little stars who are sometimes afraid of change, afraid to do something they think might be hard, afraid that they’re too small to make a difference. Little Star will shine some light on how even the smallest can be important, and can do things they’re afraid to do because someone depends on them to help.

This, my friends, is a lovely life lesson wrapped up in a Christmas story. The illustrations feel otherworldly, yet anchored to Earth. And the cover, with its gold foil, shines on the shelf and in the hand. Just beautiful!

Activities:

Make origami stars

Make a “reach for the stars” collage.

Make a stained glass star suncatcher