Friends Are Like Stars

Gr 1-3–Swemba’s story focuses on Vera, with tan skin, when her best friend Grace, with brown skin, moves away. Vera often wishes for her friend to return so things can go back to the way they were. In the end, Vera doesn’t get what she wants, but she does find new ways to connect and to continue to build new friendships. This story will resonate with children who are moving, and those who have a friend who moves away. This difficult experience is one that caregivers find hard to handle, and, fortunately, there are tips in the back of the book to help guide caregivers and their children on ways they can continue to reach out and remain connected to old friends. The illustrations are beautiful. The night sky is well emphasized in many pages, including more realistic-looking galaxies and basic five-point stars, which stand out as almost magical. Walker-Parker has a genuine talent for making the night sky look and feel bright. The craft idea in the back uses simple materials and shows children how to create their own star maps, which may need caregiver supervision and access to the internet. The story does feel a little disjointed due to mixing two separate pieces: how to deal with a friend moving away and how the night sky changes throughout the year. Otherwise, it is a pleasant read, and the social-emotional learning aspect is well done.