Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Birth to 4. Rosemary Wells, who gave us Max and Ruby and a trove of illustrated nursery rhyme books, now offers a deceptively simple, but finely crafted, board book version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." To begin, Wells uses a lesser known and lovely verse. Then she couples it with sensitively and humorously rendered illustrations following a mother bunny guiding her baby through a bedtime routine. But this is not a "been there many times" kind of board book. The cover illustration initiates a spark of newness with an old song by inviting us to share a humorous moment. On the cover, the mother bunny has a surprised look on her face as if time has caught her by surprise. She seems to be asking, "Oh my goodness, is it bed-time show more already," even though she is finishing up her baby's evening meal which one does every night. We then follow the pair through their sweet and universal nighttime routine of bath, dressing, snuggling, story and bed, all the while with the reader singing the song. Perhaps it is the song that has helped the mother bunny transition her baby so willingly to bed? This coupling of song and ritual could be a gentle reminder to reading parents that singing can help them too transition toddlers through evening routines. So Well's board book accomplishes that interactive potential that really good board books have. But even if that isn't enough to captivate an active toddler and amuse a weary parent, Wells includes drawings of star chart constellations on each verso page. So though it is just a little board book, after each page is turned, Well's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star presents an enriching, educational moment for parents and older siblings alike. Thus this book is highly recommended for parents and public library collections. In a larger format, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star would also make an excellent preschool story-time book. A librarian could use the book to spring board to more books about stars and constellations. Either way this is board book more than usually well executed. show less