(2) K-3 Illustrated by Khoa Le. Resistant to change, Little Star is uncertain how she can help Maker on Holy Night. She follows the shepherds to a stable in Bethlehem and sees a newborn baby there whose eyes are familiar: “This Child...was Maker!” Her gentle gleam calms the Baby, so she stays, shimmering softly overhead for Maker until the travelers from afar arrive to worship the King. Perkins’s child-friendly fantasy about the role played by the Star of Bethlehem offers a thought-provoking, cross-cultural retelling of the Nativity story. Perkins re-teams with Le (Bare Tree and Little Wind: A Story for Holy Week), who beautifully depicts the human and otherworldly aspects of the story with (culturally accurate) diverse skin tones for the people and effervescent ­illustrations of the celestial host.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Catrow. In this exuberant companion to When God Made You, two sisters engaged in imaginative play are drawn outdoors by the inviting sunshine. Rhyming text, with occasionally stumbling meter, celebrates various sources of light--from moonlight to fireflies--and suggests that God's light resides in each person. Light and shadow play in Catrow's energetic illustrations, which celebrate the joy of creation and the love of family.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) K-3 Illustrated by David Catrow. A lively and caring little girl helps others and brings beauty to her world. Rhyming text that can be a mouthful ("'Cause God loves you creating, your true self displaying / when light on the inside through art is portraying") celebrates the wonder of being a unique, dreaming child of God. Catrow's quirky and vibrant illustrations fill the pages with contagious energy.

Reviewer: Alia Jones