4 stars
This book is absolutely gorgeous. Each page is phenomenal and Harrison’s illustrations are pure magic. The story itself is a tale of bullying, self-consciousness, and wishing one’s appearance was different, but most importantly, it is a story about loving yourself and seeing inner beauty.
This is a fantastic book with a wonderful message. It does get fairly intense in terms of Sulwe’s dissatisfaction with her skin color. This includes her using an eraser on her skin and only eating light foods to attempt to lighten her skin. Also, the message is beautiful but I think it can get lost in the overall story. Because of this, I’d say it’s best suited for older children or if reading to younger children, it may be beneficial to talk through the overall message of love and acceptance of self to really solidify it.
The only issue I had is that Sulwe’s journey and the tale the star tells seem like two separate stories. They are both wonderful but each has its own plot and own feel, which is slightly disruptive. The star story doesn’t translate perfectly to Sulwe’s case, which can be slightly confusing. It is a beautiful story nonetheless, but kind of comes out of nowhere. Older children may more easily connect the two, but younger children may need some conversations to really understand the connection.
Overall though, an absolutely beautiful book with lovely poetic language and extraordinary artwork.