First Star

April 1, 2018

PreS-K-When Mole wants to see the stars, Bear suggests they go camping. Once there, Mole becomes scared of the approaching night. Bear, always encouraging and brave, tells Mole about the First Star, better known as the North Star. Throughout the text, repetitive words are set in caps. In shades of blue, purple, and black, the First Bear family look on in fear as it becomes dark out. Mole and Bear watch from the corner of the pages as First Father Bear, First Mother Bear, and First Little Bear create the moon and the stars. All the facial expressions relax as they are lit by the gentle white light of the sky and Mole's lantern. On a full vertical spread, First Father Bear pushes "HARD, HARD, HARD" to affix the North Star that will never move. At the end, the illustrations are still in dark hues, but the stars, body language of the characters, and dialogue make the story playful and lovely. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the book's message to children afraid of the dark. This is a gentle alternative to mythological creation stories and scientific explanations. VERDICT Another empowering message for fans of Bear and Mole that is perfect for bedtime and small group sharing.-Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Library, Lombard, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2018
Bear and Mole go camping, but when the sky gets dark, Mole needs a reassuring story.Squat little Mole, with a round, bulbous nose, wants to sleep outdoors to "see the stars turn on." So Mole and Bear gather their camping gear and hike "UP, UP, UP"--while munching on berries: "YUM, YUM, YUM"--to the top of Camp Tiptop. But when they arrive, it is beginning to get dark, and Mole wants to go home. To settle his fears, Bear tells him a story of the earliest bear family. To combat the night's inky darkness, First Little Bear helps his mother shape white clay into the moon. Then First Little Bear scatters tiny white stones in the sky to become the stars. First Father Bear tries to push one, but it doesn't move. That star is the one constant--the titular First Star (or the North Star). Then, First Father Bear creates a "star picture" of First Little Bear in the sky, and First Star becomes his tail. Hillenbrand's warm, textured illustrations take on a gorgeous, luminous blue for the tale of the first bears, both text and stars glowing white against it. Of course, Mole delights in Bear's storytelling, and suddenly the darkness isn't so scary after all. The lack of backmatter on constellations represents a missed opportunity in an otherwise lovely book.A calming, nighttime addition to this adored duo's series. (Picture book. 3-6)

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May 14, 2018
Unlikely best friends Bear and Mole—childlike and adorably dressed in patchy overalls—climb to Camp Tiptop to “see the stars turn on.” Through their caring, clear communication, Hillenbrand conveys the distinctive dynamics of the pair’s relationship. Once they sets up camp, Mole becomes anxious about the dark, so Bear tells him a legend of the “First Star,” with dreamlike, successive spreads showing “First Father Bear,” “First Mother Bear,” and “First Baby Bear” shaping the moon and stars from clay to light the dark night. Hillenbrand’s artwork exudes warmth—even as night falls and Bear and Mole are surrounded by deep, indigo blue. Hillenbrand offers a tender depiction of two friends on an adventure that is almost—but not quite—scary with a story within a story that will stir readers’ imaginations. Ages 3–6.

January 1, 2019
In their latest adventure, Bear and Mole go camping, but Mole worries they'll get lost in the dark. Bear reassures Mole with a story about the First Bears making the moon and stars, including--in a dramatic vertical spread--the stationary First Star that guides creatures at night. Spacious art transitioning into a nighttime blue palette complements the simple text full of soothing repetition.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)