A bed of stars by Jessica Love

This picture book, created by the author of Julian is a mermaid, is a comforting lullaby for children nervous about the dark as well as a tribute to the beauty of the desert and the natural world.

The story begins with a starry sky and the narrator remembering their anxiety about the seemingly endless universe that kept them from sleeping. Turn to a peaceful breakfast scene, with a young child with reddish brown hair, the narrator, eating breakfast with their father while their mom, in a bathrobe with an infant, looks on.

Mint greens and pinkish browns fill the scene as the child and their father take off. They identify flowers, stop to see friends, and finally arrive in the desert wilderness. Everything is fine while they are exploring the sand dunes and looking at birds, and watching the sunset. But when they settle down to sleep in the bed of the pickup and the child narrator's anxieties rise, their father has a comforting solution. He talks about what stars are made of and encourages the child to name them as friends. They greet the sun the next day and make their way home, where the child's mother has spent the day working on a special surprise in their room. That night they sleep, "And I am at home in the universe." feeling safe and loved.

Verdict: This gentle and thoughtful story will appeal to an older audience, one which can appreciate the quiet beauty of the landscape and Love's lyrical text. A perfect bedtime story or class read-aloud.

ISBN: 9781536212396; Published April 2023 by Candlewick; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library