Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star [Hardcover]

Sylvia Long (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

Cherished for nearly two centuries, the traditional lullaby "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" continues to send children off to dreamland. In this tenderly illustrated edition of the classic rhyme, award-winning artist Sylvia Long touches the hearts of reader yet again. Her detailed watercolors depict a group of animal friends as they make their way home under the night sky to complete their bedtime rituals with their families. The last verse finds each baby animal nested in bed. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is the perfect bedtime story, sure to lull children to sleep.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Youngsters well know the opening lines of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Sylvia Long revisits the classic and includes the traditional verses "When the blazing sun is gone,/ When he nothing shines upon,/ Then you show/ your little light,/ Twinkle, twinkle,/ all the night" alongside celestial watercolor depictions of critters heading home at nightfall. A baby frog eats grubs for supper; a mouse is tucked under the covers.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reS-The traditional lullaby is told in its entirety, as the poetic images celebrate the star appearing when the sun sets, guiding the traveler in the dark, glowing throughout the night, and remaining always mysterious. The luminous watercolors show an unusual group of anthropomorphic animals gazing in awe from a hilltop at the first star of the evening and then separating to go home to their loving parents. The frogs have a fine dinner of worms and insects, the chipmunk brushes his teeth, the crow splashes in the bathtub, the opossum puts on his pajamas, the skunk family reads a story together, and the mouse is tucked into bed. A red fox in pantaloons and a smock has the role of lamplighter in the darkening town. A variety of picture sizes from spreads to vignettes, imaginative yet realistic figures, gentle humor, and familiar nighttime routines combine to make a charming bedtime experience.

Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811828549
• ISBN-13: 978-0811828543
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,054,106 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star On All the People That I Love, December 7, 2001

By 

Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (Hardcover)

My youngest son has suffered from severe asthma ever since he was an infant and he's almost 20 years old now. Some of my most painful memories are of watching him struggle with the torture of this disease when he was very small, and feeling the awful helplessness a parent feels when they have done all they can and still the suffering continues. When my son was at his sickest we would snuggle close and I would rub his back and quietly sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" to him in a slow, soothing voice. Sometimes I would need to sing it for a long while before he could finally relax enough to fall asleep. I had to learn all the verses besides the familiar one and I had to make up several additional ones, too! As he grew older I continued to sing it when things were bad. When he was sad or in pain or facing a tough time, he would cuddle up and ask for a back rub and "Twinkle Twinkle." I think he was 18 the last time I sang it and he was suffering heartbreak rather than asthma. Well, to get to the point, this book does complete justice to the special song that has meant so much in our lives. It has all of the verses and they are very beautiful. Sylvia Long's lovely illustrations show little animal children dressed in cute clothes like sweaters and blue jeans as they sit together on a country hill gazing up at the diamonds in the sky. Then we see each of the children go to their own homes where their loving parents cuddle them off to bed. They have such cute and colorful jammies on. The love between a parent and child shines throughout this little charmer just like a twinkling star. I love it!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for winding down together at bedtime, July 19, 2005

By 

A. Fawson (CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (Hardcover)

As a parent, this is one of the books I find I actually enjoy reading to my kids over and over again. The verse is soothing and a nice way to wind down before bed time. The illustrations are beautiful and interesting. They are full of details and patterns that hold your attention on each page. They tell a story of their own. My two-year-old daughter loves seeing all the bedtime rituals the animals pictured in the book are doing with their families in all their own homes. I think this book made her enjoy singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" a little bit more.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Illustrations, June 1, 2007

By 

K. Barnard (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star (Hardcover)

Sylvia Long seems to find a way to make every drawing on every page have hidden detail. My two and half year old kids love to sing "Twinkle Twinkle" but this little book makes it every more special. They like the sub-story of the fox lighting the lamp posts and the animal-children going home, eating dinner, and getting ready for bed. Most of all, they notice the detail in the animals' PJs or dinner plates and want to talk about that just as much as read the rhyme.

As always, a fabulous book from Ms. Long.