How Many Stars in the Sky? (Reading Rainbow Books) [Paperback]

Lenny Hort (Author), James E. Ransome (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Reading Rainbow Books

Mama's away one night, and her son can't sleep. He tries to relax by counting stars, but the more of them he sees, the more determined he is to count every single one. Then the boy finds that Daddy can't sleep either. Together, the two of them set off on an unforgettable all-night journey of discovery.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

One warm summer night, the sky is full of stars and a boy can't sleep. His mama is away. After staring out of his window, wondering "How many stars in the sky?" he attempts to count them. Outside, he climbs up into his treehouse for a better view. Soon Daddy joins him, and the sleepless pair set out on a star-gazing odyssey--to the city and then "deep into the country." Finally, "too tired to drive anymore. . . we slept under the stars that night" in the back of the pick-up truck. In this worthy addition to the ranks of stories featuring African-American characters, the lyrical rhythm of Hort's text is brought to vibrant life by Ransome's ( Do Like Kyla ) painterly illustrations. The almost-tangible richness of the summer night and its lush green foliage stands in striking contrast to the dark city streets with occasional flashes of neon light. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K-- A young boy whose mother is away can't sleep. He goes outside in his pajamas and tries to count stars only to discover that houses, trees, and streetlamps obscure his view. His father can't sleep either, so they hop in the truck and go to the city in search of a better place to see the sky. As more lights surround them, fewer stars are visible; the one they see turns out to be an airplane. Although by now it's the middle of the night, the man heads into the country; here, the two are awed by stars too numerous to count. Ransome uses thick, visible strokes in his dense oil paintings that completely fill each large-format page. In general they present a nice variety of scenes to match the flow of the text, and the closeness between the black father and son is warmly portrayed. A fresh look at an age-old concept. --Martha Topol, Interlochen Public Library, MI
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (January 20, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 068815218X
• ISBN-13: 978-0688152185
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #894,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There are always stars, January 7, 2000

By 

Carole in DE "patncarole" (Mid-Atlantic, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Many Stars in the Sky? (Library Binding)

I requested my school librarian to purchase a book in memory of my sons grandmom. How delighted I was to read her choice and how appropriate too. While an enchanting story of how a father and son deal with a night without mom the message is also there of life, stars too numerous to count, of a world without end.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Held the children's interest throughout, April 23, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Little Rock, Arkansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Many Stars in the Sky? (Library Binding)

When I read this book myself, I frankly thought it was a little boring, but I was happy to see the children paid attention from beginning to end. I read it to a group of seven 6 to 8-year-old boys. They appeared to be most interested in counting the stars on each page (and then arguing about the tally!) but when we talked about it afterwards, I found they really had been listening to the words. The paintings are beautiful.

4.0 out of 5 stars Encouraging Story, Excellent Art, Two Subliminal Themes, June 2, 2009

By 

Mark Pfennigstag (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Many Stars in the Sky? (Library Binding)

The obvious story is this: In the city, few (if any) stars can be seen. Crammed between buildings and over-lighted, city people are perhaps not even aware of the beauty of the night sky. Under the dark of the country sky, one can see more stars than can be imagined. More subtle stories will become apparent to the insightful reader.

The story starts at the family's home in a suburban setting, where the boy sees many stars from his bedroom window and goes outside to count them. On the sidewalk outside his house, he finds the stars overwhelmed by the nearby streetlight, but then sees more than he can count from his tree-house platform. Observing over a length of time he notices that some stars disappear and others appear as the sky seems to turn. To enhance the young man's fledgling astronomical observations, and to give him alternate points of reference, his dad suggests that they take a drive, first to the city where the night sky cannot even be seen due to the glare of city lighting, then out of the city and past the suburbs to a rural area where the sky is unpolluted by artificial light sources, where stars can be seen by the zillions.

The obvious theme here is that there are more stars than a person can count, if you can only see them. Subliminally, however, two themes flow beneath:

1) An observant and inquisitive young man's curiosity about his world is indulged and fostered by a perceptive and imaginative father. A learning opportunity is skillfully maximized and a bonding event occurs.

2) Far from the city, away from the distractions and conventions of humankind, one can be closer to the natural world and can better sense one's place in it.

It's a great story with deep undercurrents. The art is excellent. Get it. Read it to your kids.