The Tiny Star is a 2019 children's picture book by Mem Fox and illustrated by Freya Blackwood. It is about a star falling to Earth, turning into a baby, living a loving fulfilling life, dying, than returning to the heavens as a star.
 | |
| Author | Mem Fox |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Freya Blackwood |
| Cover artist | Freya Blackwood |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's picture book |
| Published | 2019 (Puffin Books) |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 40 (unpaginated) |
| ISBN | 9780670078127 |
| OCLC | 906797819 |
Development
editAccording to Fox, it took her five years to write.[1]
Publication history
edit- 2021, US, Alfred A. Knopf ISBN 9780593304013
- 2019, Australia, Puffin Books ISBN 9780670078127
Reception
editA reviewer for the Reading Time wrote "The Tiny Star is a valuable, uplifting and poignant story for the young to make sense of, and find comfort in, heartbreaking loss",[2] and recommended it as a best book of the year.[3] Publishers Weekly called it a "meditation".[4]
The Tiny Star has also been reviewed by Kirkus Reviews,[5] Books+Publishing,[6] and StoryLinks.[7]
Awards
edit- 2020 Booksellers' Choice Children's book of the year shortlist[8]
- 2020 Australian Book Industry Awards Children's Picture Book of the Year shortlist[9]
- 2020 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards Three to Five Years shortlist[10]
- 2020 Australian Indie Book Awards Children's shortlist[11]
References
edit- ^ Celina Ribeiro (8 May 2020). "Mem Fox on fear, creativity and Covid-19: 'What if I die with the story unfinished?'". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ Romi Sharp (18 November 2019). "The Tiny Star". Reading Time. Children's Book Council of Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ Romi Sharp (18 November 2019). "Best Books of 2019: Romi Sharp". Reading Time. Children's Book Council of Australia. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "The Tiny Star". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz LLC. 18 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "The Tiny Star". Kirkus Reviews. Kirkus Media LLC. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
Grief can feel impossible, but Fox's words whisper straight to one's heart while Blackwood's characteristically warm, smudgy illustrations exude warmth.
- ^ Margaret Hamilton (5 September 2019). "The Tiny Star (Mem Fox, illus by Freya Blackwood, Puffin)". booksandpublishing.com.au. Books+Publishing. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
The simple and beautiful story about the cycle of life is told with the utmost tenderness and involves the reader in the journey of a loving family as the narrative follows life's adventures from beginning to end and beyond.
- ^ Mia Macrossan (1 October 2019). "The Tiny Star". storylinks.booklinks.org.au. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
The book is an absolute visual delight celebrating a life well lived. The text is honed down to a minimum of simple words that convey maximum meaning.
- ^ "Booksellers' Choice 2020 Book of the Year Awards shortlists announced". booksandpublishing.com.au. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ Simon Clark (28 April 2020). "2020 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) shortlist announced". theaureview.com. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "Speech Pathology Australia book awards 2020 shortlists announced". booksandpublishing.com.au. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "2020 Indie Awards Shortlist Announced". Good Reading. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
