Stars in the Darkness

• Age Range: 7 - 10 years

• Grade Level: 1 - 5

• 2002 New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books

SUMMARY

In the imagination of a young inner-city boy, police sirens sound like howling wolves, streetlights look like stars, and shots fired by neighborhood gangs sound like those stars cracking the darkness. But when his older brother joins a gang, he can no longer pretend that nothing is wrong.

Through courage and strength, Stars in the Darkness unites people together by calling for peace, love, and empathy. In the end, we are never alone in our hardships, and this book is the perfect depiction of friends, families, and communities working together for a greater cause.

REVIEWS

“Featuring bold hues and some arresting perspectives, Christie's (Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth) stylized acrylic paintings poignantly convey the anguish and sadness of this sympathetic narrator and his mother.”—Publishers Weekly

“Christie’s deep and vivid palate frames the story, playing perspectives and shapes against the joy and tension-filled faces of the characters. His naïve style of painting may not appeal to all kids, who will also be aware that this is a “teaching” story, in the vein of Eve Bunting’s Smoky Night (1994). Nevertheless, it is well executed in word and picture, and shows an aspect of urban life that is rare in picture books, but sadly common in many kids’ lives.”—Kirkus Reviews