The Keeper of Stars by Jennifer Harris (review)

Reviewed by: The Keeper of Stars by Jennifer Harris Danica Ronquill Harris, Jennifer The Keeper of Stars; illus. by Dorothy Leung. Owlkids, 2024 32p Trade ed. ISBN 9781771475686 18. 95 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs Milo keeps a picture of his dad on his bedside table, and every night he taps it three times. And every night, he then reads three books with his mom and waits until she falls asleep, before he sneaks out his bedroom window and rides a comet into the sky. The Keeper of Stars, a dark blue bear with a star imprinted on his forehead, is waiting for him, as there is a lot to clean up in the sky, and Milo must clean, End Page 281 polish, and return the stars to their places to assist sailors navigating the sea. If he finishes early, Milo plays and twirls with the baby stars or drinks cocoa and eats sandwiches with the Keeper of Stars, before catching a comet back home, tapping his dad's picture three more times, and going to sleep. Rendered in pencil, gouache, and digital art, the cartoon-style illustrations and aerial perspective capture Milo's fantastical adventure across the skies, with the calm shades of the blue neighborhood below contrasting with the huge white clouds and twinkling stars above. While assisting the Keeper of Stars, Milo's meaningful bonds with owls and bats help him cope with missing his father. The stars also help as they shine their light on him with warmth and comfort, arrange themselves into words to send surprise messages to his mom (even when the words are jumbled up), or act silly and wear party hats as they find the little joys in life. This gentle bedtime story is a reminder to find the light in the darkness, as Milo knows "the stars are always there. . . even when you can't see them. " Copyright © 2024 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois