Almond, David. Way to the Stars, A. Gill Smith, Illus. Candlewick, 11/2023. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-3125-0. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Joe wants to find “a way to the stars,” so his dad helps him. Joe climbs a ladder up a tree, pretends to fly a rocket made of cardboard boxes, and jumps on a trampoline, all with dad’s assistance, until they look at the stars from the apartment rooftop. This is a warm story of a father-son bond (mom is not shown), depicted in a very brief text and full-color, mixed media illustrations that look like paint. The father and son both have black hair and light skin but the neighbor kids represent other ethnicities. A nice story of perseverance.
Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool