Stars in the Darkness [Hardcover]

Barbara M. Joosse (Author), R. Gregory Christie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2001 | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Golden Kite Honors

In the imagination of a young inner-city boy, police sirens sound like howling wolves, streetlights look like stars, and shots fired by neighborhood gangs sound like those stars cracking the darkness. But when his older brother joins a gang, he can no longer pretend. With the help of his mother, he comes up with a plan to save his brother and unite his neighbors in a stand for peace. The realistic yet uplifting words of best-selling author Barbara M. Joosse combine with powerful illustrations by award-winning artist R. Gregory Christie in this hope-filled story. One young boy's courage can make a difference.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In the haunting yet buoyant picture book by bestselling, award-winning author Barbara M. Joosse and award-winning illustrator R. Gregory Christie, a young boy tells of his brother Richard's entrance into the world of "gang bangers." Richard has always made his little brother feel safe and loved, until he starts "walkin' that walk, like he's King Stuff." The boy watches warily: "Richard thinks I'm a little kid, but I'm not as little as he thinks. I know what I know." Finally, the boy and his mother take action, galvanizing the neighborhood to walk the streets at night, advocating peace.

Christie's striking paintings of the family and neighborhood are strong, eye-catching companions to Joosse's powerful story. Readers will feel great hope for the protagonist, as, even in a dark hour of his young life, he sees the flashlights carried by his neighbors as "stars crackin' the darkness," an image repeated from the beginning. Joosse's message is aimed directly at "the little sisters and brothers... the stars in the darkness." An author's note and list of gang prevention resources are included, making this more than just an urban storybook--it can serve as a real resource for children at risk for joining a gang. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

"Sometimes, Mama and me look down at the street and pretend it's not the city," explains the wistful young African-American narrator of this affecting story by the author of Mama, Do You Love Me? But imagining that the sirens are "wild wolves howlin' at the moon" and that gunfire is "the light of the stars crackin' the darkness" can't cloak reality. In bed, with his older brother Richard holding him tightly, the boy acknowledges that he's afraid. When Richard begins staying out all night and one day comes home with his arm wrapped in a blood-soaked bandage, his brother and mother admit to each other that Richard has become a "gang banger." Mama says, "We can't pretend no more . We gotta be strong now." Richard does not quit the gang, but the ending offers both hope and inspiration: the neighbors band together to hold nightly "peace walks" in an attempt to discourage gang violence. Joosse explains in a concluding note that she told this story, based on the experiences of a real "banger," to reach gang members' little brothers and sisters"the stars in the darkness"and supplies a list of resources on gang prevention. Featuring bold hues and some arresting perspectives, Christie's (Only Passing Through: The Story of Sojourner Truth) stylized acrylic paintings poignantly convey the anguish and sadness of this sympathetic narrator and his mother. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 36 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (December 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811821684
• ISBN-13: 978-0811821681
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,763,759 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Joosse is the author of the ever-popular Mama, Do You Love Me?, along with many other books for young readers. She lives in Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book!, September 3, 2003

By 

"donaldedits" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stars in the Darkness (Hardcover)

This book is worth buying twice just to support the author. Fantastic writing, illustrating, everything. As soon as I picked it up I was instantly drawn to its pages and once I began I couldn't put it down-and it's a book for kids! In any case, it's a book all pre-schoolers will cherish. It's about love and family and sticking together to overcome adversity. I can't wait for Barbara Joosse's next book. She's doing something great. And as always, I leave you with my favorite picks: most creative, The Butterfly: A Fable (Singh); most engaging, The Alchemist (Coelho); most interesting, Life of Pi (Martel); most enlightening, 9-11 (Chomsky); most thrilling, The Lovely Bones: A Novel (Sebold); and finally, the most creative, engaging, interesting, enlightening and thrilling book of all, The Little Prince (Saint-Exupery). These are the books I'd recommend to my family, friends, students, and wife. There are many more, trust me, but these are the first that come to mind (for having left an impact slight or proud as it may be). If you have any questions, queries, or comments, or maybe even a title you think I should add to my list, please feel free to e-mail me. I'm always open to a good recommendation. Thanks for reading my brief but hopefully helpful review. Happy reading. Donald S. Buckland

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerfully Evocative and Compelling....., September 4, 2002

By 

Roz Levine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stars in the Darkness (Hardcover)

"Sometimes, Mama and me look down at the street and pretend it's not the city. We shut out eyes so only a crack is open, lookin' through our eyelshes, and pretend we live on the moon. The lights we see? They're stars, as many as the sky can hold. And sirens? That's wild wolves howlin' at the moon. If there's shots fired, we say it's the light of the stars crackin' the darkness..." So begins Barbara Joosse's nameless young narrator's story of the dangerous and tenuous life in the inner city. When his beloved brother, Richard, stops coming home at night, he and his mother realize he's become a gang banger. "We can't pretend no more," she says. "We gotta be strong now." His mother implores him, "Don't you be hanging' out with those bangers, Richard. Don't. Be somebody for this world." But Richard is caught up in the life, "walkin' that walk, like he's King Stuff." When Richard comes home injured and bandaged, Mama and Richard's little brother hatch a plan, a plan to take back the neighborhood. "We call 'em Peace Walks. Every night now, there's family on the street. We take turns walkin' the night. When it's my turn, I shut my eyes so only a slit is open, and I look through my eyelashes. I see streetlights, like before, but now I see flashlights, too. Stars crackin' the darkness." Ms Joosse's bittersweet picture book, geared to little brothers and sisters, "the stars in the darkness," is neither judgemental nor sentimental, but truthful and filled with hope. Her evocative text, rich in imagery and magic, is compelling, written in realistic language and complemented by Gregory Christie's powerfully bold and expressive illustrations. Together word and art paint a vivid portrait of life in the inner city, family love, and the courage and strength to try and make a difference. With an Author's Note about the real Richard, to enhance the story and help open important discussions, and a comprehensive list of resources on gang prevention, Stars In The Darkness is an inspiring narrative that shouldn't be missed, and definitely one of the best new books of 2002. Kudos to Joosse and Christie.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A profoundly moving and hopeful book, April 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Stars in the Darkness (Hardcover)

Author Joosse chooses a tough subject and writes about it in the most touching manner. The love of a family, a mother and a younger brother, are not enough to keep a boy from joining a gang. Even though Richard tries to hide his gang activities from them, the young narrator of the story tells us "I know what I know." The boy and his mother come up with a plan that involves their neighbors, making them true "stars in the darkness." Every parent and child will find in this powerful book a way to connect to the feelings, fears, and hopes of the families whose lives are affected by gangs.