Under the Stars

Beautifully illustrated book with a lovely message and a repeating phrase which is good to encourage children to join in with.

Foxes look on over their world, then move through it as we watch squirrel, otter, bird, bear and deer playing and living in their environs.The species aren't named, but we see two otters hugging and floating on the water, bear cubs eating berries, deers in their family. And between each new species, we return to the parent and cub foxes in their lives, and a refrain about being all one, living together.It might be a little muted and lyrical for a lot of small children, actually better for those slightly older at school, but they will still enjoy naming the animals and seeing what they are doing, all familiar species. They may even pick up the rhymes that are repeated.Lovely illustrations, I liked how species from previous pages came into further spreads, showing the continuation of nature and some interaction.The rhymes work, are easy and enjoyable to read aloud. It's a little.. not serious... but quite deep for my three-year-old. He listened but there is no story so it wasn't one he's requested again. It will go down well in schools, I feel, for use in topics on nature, life cycles, families, the world around us.For ages 3-8.With thanks to Little Tiger for providing a sample reading copy.