A Star Shines Through by Anna Desnitskaya; Eerdmans, 2024.
In this spare, thoughtful picture book that earned the honor of being chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection, a young girl and her mom who have moved to escape war find a way to make their new country feel a little less strange and a little more like home.
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that an airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
~ Henry Ford
Why read aloud?
We gather to share a book. We settle into a safe space as we interact with the book. We talk and reflect, exchanging thoughts, exploring concepts, building background knowledge—and community. When read-aloud sessions are routine, children become comfortable voicing their perspectives. They grow in active listening skills and learn to respect the thoughts, feelings, experiences, and beliefs of others. When we (educators, parents, and caregivers) select age-appropriate, length-appropriate stories based on needs and abilities, we offer children the opportunity to see themselves, see others, find validation, and contemplate solutions to conflicts and challenges that they may not have considered.
Read-aloud sessions are inclusive: there is no reading skills or level barrier, and learning obstacles are mitigated by preparation prior to reading the book aloud. In a read-aloud session there is immersion as well as the comfort of distance from the challenges the characters encounter.
Reading aloud engages listeners, offering a positive, secure, stress-free “learning without struggle” experience grounded in a book, the value of which cannot be overestimated.
“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.” ~ James Baldwin
Why this book? Why will it matter to kids?
Kids across the world who experience feelings of displacement struggle to find ways to make their way to home–whether being new to a country, new to a family situation, or navigating other causes for overwhelming feelings. With time, spirit, courage, and by finding simple signs of commonality, different and strange can become more welcoming and reassuring.
Levels and Layers of Learning
Grade level: 1-3
Social-Emotional Learning Themes
Acceptance, compassion, concern, connection, courage, creativity, curiosity, dedication, empathy, empowerment, encouragement, fortitude, friendship, gratitude, hope, inspiration, integrity, kindness, loyalty, perspective, resilience, respect, responsibility, relationship skills, self-assurance, self-awareness, self-management, self-reliance, social awareness, understanding
Content Area Connections: Social-Emotional Learning, Community
Using This Book in the Classroom
Hit the Ground Running Ready Resources for Educators, Homeschoolers, and Parents
Discussion Guide for A Star Shines Through
Learn more about Anna Desnitskaya and her books on Instagram.
How to pronounce Anna Desnitskaya’s name: AH – nah Dez – nit – SKY – ya.
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
Write Away! Ideas to prompt writing
In the story, the main character misses her home and the familiar things there. What would you miss if you were to move to a faraway place?
In A Star Shines Through, the girl and her mother make a star to place in the window in their new apartment to remind them of home. Describe something that is special in your home.
Thinking about the character in this story, how can you help someone who is new feel welcome and at home?
What is your favorite illustration in the book? Why?
Poetry Break Related poetry to recite before or following the reading of this book
Poetry breaks fit perfectly into the framework of the school day. These brief moments can signal change, smooth or frame transitions—from beginning or ending the day to lining up for lunch; from zipping up backpacks and jackets to shifting from one subject to the next. Poetry breaks can reset mood or tone, providing a moment to pause, reflect, and breathe. Reading a poem aloud typically takes less than a minute, yet it can introduce or reinforce a concept, provide clarity, celebrate language, exemplify rhythm, enhance vocabulary, expand understanding, increase attention span, initiate reflection, spark imagination, or simply summon a giggle. And, poetry soothes and strengthens the spirit.
“Poetry builds resilience in kids and adults; it fosters Social and Emotional Learning. A well-crafted phrase or two in a poem can help us see an experience in an entirely new way.” ~ Elena Aguilar
Poetry to pair with A Star Shines Through:
- Amazing Faces poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Chris Soentpiet
- Just Like Me by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
- Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Following is a selection of recently released poetry books:
- The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mercé López; a variety of poems accompanied by brief relatable anecdotes invite kids to reflect on how mistakes help make us who we are; Grades 2-8. See also, Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship
- How to Sing A Song by Kwame Alexander and Randy Preston, illustrated by Melissa Sweet; a joyous crescendo builds from “Hush. / Now / Turn up your ears and listen / to the concert happening all around you:” Grades K-3. See also, How to Read a Book and How to Write a Poem.
And Then There’s This…
Enrichment activities, related books, online resources, craft projects, and ideas for further study
Make a star like the one in the story. Anna suggests this helpful video.
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
Book Collection Suggestions
Find previous Children’s Book Corner posts centering on being new to a place, inclusion, and making connections:
Following are related books of interest:
- A Kid is a Kid is a Kid by Sara O’Leary; illustrated by Qin Leng
- Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim
- Hello, My Name Is Ruby by Philip C. Stead
- I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët
- It Will Be OK: A Story of Empathy, Kindness, and Friendship by Lisa Katzenberger, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett My Name Is Yoon by Helen Recorvits, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
- On the Edge of the World by Anna Desnitskaya, translated by Lena Traer
- Santiago’s Dinosaurios by Mariana Ríos Ramírez, illustrated by Udayana Lugo
- Say Hello by Jack & Michael Foreman
- Say Hello! by Linda Davick
- Someone Just Like You by Helen Docherty, illustrated by David Roberts
- Sumi’s First Day of School Ever by Soyung Pak, illustrated by Joung Un Kim
- Sunday Chutney by Aaron Blabey
Have a title to suggest? Scroll down to add it in the Comments section at the end of this post.
Meet the Author-Illustrator
Anna Desnitskaya
Anna Desnitskaya is the author-illustrator of On the Edge of the World (Eerdmans), The Apartment: A Century of Russian History (Abrams), and many other books for young readers. In 2018, she was Russia’s nominee for the 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest award for children’s literature. Amid the turmoil in Russia in 2022, Anna and her family made the decision to leave their longtime home of Moscow. After spending several months in Israel, they have currently settled in Montenegro. Follow Anna on Instagram.
Backstory: Q & A with Anna Desnitskaya
When a review copy of A Star Shines Through crossed my desk, I was immediately taken with the spare text and the luminous art that effectively conveys the mood and tone of a touching story about a girl finding home in a new country. I knew I had to reach out to Anna and invite her to talk about the book on the Children’s Book Corner.
Judy Bradbury: Tell us about this project: What seeded the idea for A Star Shines Through?
Anna Desnitskaya: My husband, children, and I, along with our pets, left Russia immediately after the war in Ukraine began. We had never planned to emigrate and always wanted to live and work in Russia. We love our country and our city deeply, so being forced to emigrate was a shock. Perhaps it would have been easier if we had moved to a country similar to Russia, but we ended up in Israel, which is unlike anything we were used to. It was incredibly difficult and confusing. One day, we went to IKEA to pick up some things for our rental apartment and bought a cardboard star, identical to the one we had back home in our window. I was struck by how much the apartment and the world around us transformed when we assembled and lit the star. That’s when I realized I wanted to create a book about this experience to help children in similar situations.
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
JB: The illustrations in A Star Shines Through are a combination of hand-drawn contours and Photoshop. Tell us about creating the art—your choices in method, color, design, and layout.
AD: I’ve always struggled with fully hand-drawn illustrations because of a fear of the blank page—it made me afraid to make mistakes, which would stiffen my hand and result in tense, rigid drawings. However, I didn’t want to switch entirely to digital either, as I studied under old-school teachers who highly valued traditional drawing. I found a technique that combines the ease and freedom of hand-drawing with the benefits of digital tools. For me, it’s the perfect match!
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
JB: Tell about one hurdle you experienced in the creation of A Star Shines Through, or provide a memorable (or humorous!) anecdote.
AD: A funny thing happened with the first illustration of the city where the characters lived before the war. On one hand, I didn’t want to draw a specific city because I wanted the story to be broader than my personal experience. On the other hand, I wanted to convey my longing for my beloved city. So, I created a composite image of Moscow—a bit from here, a bit from there. But when I posted this illustration on my social media, all my friends from Moscow were convinced I had drawn their neighborhood. They wrote, “Of course, this is Khamovniki!” — “Are you kidding? This is definitely Shabolovka; I recognize it perfectly—it’s the view from my window.” — “No way, this is Kuznetsky Bridge; I’ve lived there my whole life and I know that area.” That’s when I realized I had successfully captured the essence of Moscow!
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
JB: What is one unexpected joy that came from the creation of A Star Shines Through?
AD: In truth, working on this book was incredibly challenging, more so than any other project. It meant diving back into a traumatic experience. However, when I finished it, I felt a sense of relief, as though it had been part of my healing process.
JB: What would surprise readers to learn about you or about creating A Star Shines Through?
AD: I actually drew my favorite sneakers on the mother of the protagonist!
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
JB: What do you hope young listeners and readers will take away from A Star Shines Through?
AD: I want them to understand that it’s okay not to immediately fall in love with a new country. It’s normal to feel homesick for the place you left behind—that it’s a loss, and you need to allow yourself to grieve. But slowly, things will get better—it just may not happen right away.
JB: Who do you perceive the target audience to be for A Star Shines Through and why?
AD: First and foremost, I created this book for children who have lost their homes (as you can tell from the dedication), for children who find it difficult to adapt to a new place, and for their families. I believe reading this book together can spark important conversations about what happened. However, I think even children who haven’t moved could benefit from this book, as it could help them better understand their friends and classmates who have recently relocated.
Illustration © Anna Desnitskaya
JB: How do you see A Star Shines Through connecting to curriculum or being used in schools or learning settings?
AD: If there are children in a classroom who have just arrived from another country and are struggling, this book could be a starting point for an important discussion.
JB: What project(s) are you currently working on?
AD: I’m currently working on a book about bread from around the world—it’s a very joyful and uplifting project.
Also written and illustrated by Anna Desnitskaya
Sidebar Spotlight New releases of note
Each month I receive several boxes of books to review from various publishers. As I read and peruse the books, I place them in two piles: those that I will consider featuring on the blog, and those that don’t fit the mission or theme of Children’s Book Corner blog for whatever reason. I highlight some of the books in the “possible” pile on Mondays (most weeks) on Instagram. Ultimately, I choose the one new release I will feature on my monthly blog post. Yet there are many terrific books I wish I could give a shout-out to, even if I can’t write an entire post about each one. So, Sidebar Spotlight is a means of giving a nod to new releases that, in my opinion, are noteworthy. I’ve linked each title to Bookshop so you can learn more. Happy reading, friends! And feel free to comment on these or other new books below.
Apple Pie Tired by Beth Charles, illustrated by Hannah Brinson; a sweet treat and a perfect pick for this season, this picture book features a young farm girl with a dream and a plan. How she handles unexpected delays and an undone list makes for a warm family-centric story ideal for read-aloud or read along. Grades 1-3.
ART-ificial Intelligence by David Biedrzycki is a color-drenched picture book featuring a robot with a dream; celebrates art, creativity, and following your heart. Recommended read-aloud for Gr. 2-4.
The Mistakes That Made Us: Confessions from Twenty Poets selected by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illustrated by Mercé López; poems in a variety of styles accompanied by brief relatable anecdotes invite kids to reflect on how mistakes help make us who we are; Grades 2-8.
News, Updates, & Items of Interest
Jumpstart’s 19th annual Read for the Record Day is set for October 24th. The book chosen for this year is Piper Chen Sings by Phillipa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran and illustrated by Qin Leng. Read for the Record is the “world’s largest shared reading experience, celebrating early literacy and supporting children’s early language and social-emotional development. The annual initiative raises awareness of the critical importance of early literacy and access to inclusive, high-quality books through shared reading.” Reportedly, in 2023 2.3 million people in eleven countries and 50 US states and territories participated.
The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation dubs Kindness Activists RAKtivists. A Kindness in October craft suggestion gives step-by-step directions for making Kindness Rocks. Of course I was delighted to see this excellent suggestion, accompanied by an instructional video, because the third book in my Cayuga Island Kids series, The Case of the Messy Message and the Missing Facts features a kindness rock in its plot, and creating kindness rocks is a craft activity I do with kids at book events and school visits. Consider making and sharing a kindness rock this season!
I’m delighted to be participating in the Rochester Children’s Book Festival again this year! If you’re in the area on November 2nd, stop in and visit me at this amazing, popular festival featuring fifty children’s authors from across the country!
You can find out more about where my books and I will be on my Events page.
I am currently booking school visits and professional development sessions for 2024-25.
Find information and contact me to discuss a visit tailored to meet your school’s needs.
A note from a teacher whose students I recently visited:
Thank you so much for coming to meet with my students. You were wonderful, answering their questions and explaining how you wrote the book. We all loved it! Here are some illustrated thank you notes the students made for you. Thank you again!
Read-aloud of a portion of Cayuga Island Kids Book 2, The Adventure of the Big Fish by the Small Creek
Readers Theater, complete with props!
And here’s a note I received after presenting “SEL-Related Children’s Books with Curriculum Tie-Ins” to teachers and librarians in Grades Pre-K—Grade 6:
Thanks so much for presenting! I heard wonderful things about your workshop! One person mentioned to me that you were so organized and passionate. They also loved seeing all the children’s books you brought with you!
Find my books packaged as a series at your favorite bookshop or purchase directly from the publisher and receive a gift with purchase! Individual titles are also available in hard, softcover, and e-book versions.
Kindness tip: If you read and like a book, consider posting a review on GoodReads, social media, or on Amazon (if you bought it there). Authors and illustrators appreciate the shout-out. Even a one-sentence comment increases visibility of a book. Also consider placing a request with your local library to purchase a copy–another free way to support a book you recommend!
Over to You…
Join the conversation! Offer your thoughts on this featured prompt related to this month’s post:
What book centering on being new to a place do you recommend for young readers and listeners? Share the title, author, and illustrator in the comments section.
You are also welcome to post a general comment.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Final Thought
“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.”
~ Raymond Lindquist
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