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PICTURE BOOKS
Denos, Julia

Starcrossed

64 pp. | Houghton | October, 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-0-358-15395-5 $18.99
(2) K-3 Ablaze with warmth and wonder, Denos's (Windows, rev. 11/17) latest picture book is a story of intergalactic friendship and cosmic wishes. Eridani, a human girl "made of blood and bones" is best friends with Acamar, "more of a constellation than a boy...made of space and stars." Every evening, the two friends share questions and longings. Eridani wonders about flying and comets while Acamar wonders about sunsets and sand. Sparked by curiosity, they wish upon each other--and experience something that is altogether magical. Simultaneously symmetrical and surprising, the text sparkles with alliteration ("Eridani's shiver became a shimmer") and earnest dialogue between the two friends. Rich with texture and movement, the full-bleed illustrations (rendered in watercolor, ink, pencil, and digital collage) sweep over the pages, creating stunning nightscapes that explode with astronomical energy and twinkle with luminous and incandescent constellations. Stellar cool-hued night skies and dotted milky-white galactic constellations effectively contrast with the warmth of Earth and its glowing pink sunsets, flowering emerald vines, and golden candlelit classrooms. An author's note explaining the story's scientific inspiration provides readers with a surprise about the characters' names. Ethereal and evocative (if lengthy), it's the tale of a sincere, starry, and steadfast friendship.
Reviewer: Emmie Stuart | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

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