One Starry Night
Lauren Thompson
Illustrated by Jonathan Bean

Margaret K. McElderry Books
2011 / ISBN 9780689828515
Picture book, holidays, animals (ages 3-6)
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

Sounding a bit like a simple prayer, the text of this picture book for children three to six years of age is illustrated by a series of young animals watched over by an adult. The message is quite clear – no matter the time or place, someone is always watching over the little one.

After seeing a range of creatures from sheep, goats, pigs, and doves to dogs, we see them all heading off in the same direction on this particular starry night. Their destination? They are converging on the stable where Joseph, Mary and the Baby Jesus are housed.

Beautifully illustrated, what makes these pictures a tad unusual is they are done entirely in browns, grey and black. Although these are not the colors we usually associate with Christmas, they make for a striking presentation here.

Lauren Thompson is best known for her “Little Quack” and “Mouse’s First” series of picture books for children. This is her first collaborative effort with Jonathan Bean and it has turned out splendidly!