Stella, Princess of the Sky

K-Gr 2 -With charm and whimsy, Stella and Sam are back, this time spending an evening outside watching daylight fade into dusk, then night. Sam is the quintessential preschooler-full of wondrous questions. Big sister Stella is the authority on their domain, effectively answering him and calming his fears. " 'Why is [the sky] so red?' asked Sam. 'Can't you see? It's wearing red pajamas.'" She points out a family of raccoons. " 'Why are they wearing masks?' asked Sam. 'Are they robbers?' 'No, they're going to a costume party,' said Stella." The detailed illustrations effectively capture the deep blues, blacks, and grays of night, while also illuminating the siblings with pale azures, sage greens, and soft lavenders. This is a quiet star of a story that works well either as a group read-aloud or as a bedtime treasure to share one-on-one.-Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.