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A Way to the Stars

Author David Almond
Illustrated by Gill Smith
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
Candlewick
8.63"W x 11.31"H x 0.36"D   | 13 oz | 30 per carton
On sale Nov 07, 2023 | 32 Pages | 9781536231250
Age 3-7 years | Preschool - 2
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Hans Christian Andersen Award winner David Almond conjures the imaginative bond between a father and son as they pool their resources to defeat gravity and realize a dream.

Joe is starstruck, determined to find his way up, up, up to the magical lights in the night sky. “In your dreams!” his pals say. But when Joe and his dad put their heads and hearts together, there’s no stopping them. Together they climb ladders, construct towers, and launch rockets in a tireless quest to reach the unreachable. Airy and playful, Gill Smith’s dynamic illustrations perfectly complement David Almond’s ebullient tale of sky-high courage—and the power of the imagination to pilot a dream—in a picture book adventure for stargazers and sidekicks of all ages.
  • SELECTION | 2024
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
A loving father supports his son’s desire to soar among the stars. . . . Almond’s trim text—with enough repetition and simplicity to engage emerging readers—leaves space for Smith’s narrative contributions. . . . An uplifting story featuring a child with big dreams and playful, responsive parenting.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Smith’s mixedmedia illustrations capture the story’s drama and the occasional madness of their attempted flights as well as the story's joyful conclusion. . . Almond has written a captivating picture book for young children. Kids will revel in the spirit of adventure and creativity that Joe and his father share. A satisfying narrative for stargazers who have wondered, 'What if . . .'
—Booklist (starred review)

In this gentle picture book from Almond, a young boy dreams of finding a way to the stars. . . . Words and images take on equal parts in conveying story and emotion. . . . Almond’s pared-back, rhythmical text adeptly enacts the musicality of everyday language, making the book perfect for reading aloud. A paean to resourcefulness, creativity and collaboration, this quietly jubilant picture book is ideal for parents and children to share.
—School Library Journal
David Almond is a beloved author of picture books, novels, and graphic novels for children, including The Dam, illustrated by Levi Pinfold; War Is Over, illustrated by David Litchfield; The Tale of Angelino Brown, illustrated by Alex T. Smith; My Dad’s a Birdman and The Boy Who Climbed into the Moon, both illustrated by Polly Dunbar; The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers; Brand New Boy, illustrated by Marta Altés; Skellig; Clay; Kit’s Wilderness; and many more. His awards include a Carnegie Medal, two Whitbread Awards, an Eleanor Farjeon Award, a Michael L. Printz Award, and a Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international prize for children’s book authors. David Almond lives in England.

Gill Smith is the acclaimed illustrator of Maria’s Island by Victoria Hislop and Saving the Butterfly by Helen Cooper. She lives in England.
David Almond View titles by David Almond
Gill Smith View titles by Gill Smith

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About

Hans Christian Andersen Award winner David Almond conjures the imaginative bond between a father and son as they pool their resources to defeat gravity and realize a dream.

Joe is starstruck, determined to find his way up, up, up to the magical lights in the night sky. “In your dreams!” his pals say. But when Joe and his dad put their heads and hearts together, there’s no stopping them. Together they climb ladders, construct towers, and launch rockets in a tireless quest to reach the unreachable. Airy and playful, Gill Smith’s dynamic illustrations perfectly complement David Almond’s ebullient tale of sky-high courage—and the power of the imagination to pilot a dream—in a picture book adventure for stargazers and sidekicks of all ages.

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2024
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

Praise

A loving father supports his son’s desire to soar among the stars. . . . Almond’s trim text—with enough repetition and simplicity to engage emerging readers—leaves space for Smith’s narrative contributions. . . . An uplifting story featuring a child with big dreams and playful, responsive parenting.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Smith’s mixedmedia illustrations capture the story’s drama and the occasional madness of their attempted flights as well as the story's joyful conclusion. . . Almond has written a captivating picture book for young children. Kids will revel in the spirit of adventure and creativity that Joe and his father share. A satisfying narrative for stargazers who have wondered, 'What if . . .'
—Booklist (starred review)

In this gentle picture book from Almond, a young boy dreams of finding a way to the stars. . . . Words and images take on equal parts in conveying story and emotion. . . . Almond’s pared-back, rhythmical text adeptly enacts the musicality of everyday language, making the book perfect for reading aloud. A paean to resourcefulness, creativity and collaboration, this quietly jubilant picture book is ideal for parents and children to share.
—School Library Journal

Author

David Almond is a beloved author of picture books, novels, and graphic novels for children, including The Dam, illustrated by Levi Pinfold; War Is Over, illustrated by David Litchfield; The Tale of Angelino Brown, illustrated by Alex T. Smith; My Dad’s a Birdman and The Boy Who Climbed into the Moon, both illustrated by Polly Dunbar; The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers; Brand New Boy, illustrated by Marta Altés; Skellig; Clay; Kit’s Wilderness; and many more. His awards include a Carnegie Medal, two Whitbread Awards, an Eleanor Farjeon Award, a Michael L. Printz Award, and a Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international prize for children’s book authors. David Almond lives in England.

Gill Smith is the acclaimed illustrator of Maria’s Island by Victoria Hislop and Saving the Butterfly by Helen Cooper. She lives in England.
David Almond View titles by David Almond
Gill Smith View titles by Gill Smith

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