THE BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE SEA
written and illustrated by Chelsea Paulus
An unhappy sea star in the ocean dreams of becoming a real star in Paulus’ picture book.
Bellamy the sea star is tired of feeling “small and unnoticed” on his rock in the reef—if only he could be as big and important as the North Star that shines high above the ocean in the night sky. Bellamy draws up plans (with apparently waterproof paper and squid ink) to ascend to the heavens, but one by one, they fail. The little sea star finally realizes his worth when he helps a lost school of frightened fish rendered directionless because the rocks in the reef all look alike without Bellamy—their very own “North Sea Star”—on his rock to guide them. This debut picture book, written and illustrated with whimsical charm by a wildlife and portrait artist, is a worthy addition to the body of children’s books targeting social and emotional learning, reminiscent of the Sea School Stories series by Natalie Pritchard. Children will enjoy the saturated colors, sweet-faced characters, and varied text design as Bellamy tries to reach the sky on a dolphin as it leaps out of the sea, asks a whale to use its tail to flip him up even higher, and climbs to the top of a pile of obliging crabs stacked tall on a buoy. (“Trying to stand out in the world was hard work,” Bellamy sighs.)
Bright visual appeal, gentle humor, and an effective message about self-esteem.