Twinkle Twinkle Little Kid

by Drew Daywalt, Molly Idle (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

In a story that only two real-life friends could tell, Drew Daywalt and Molly Idle share a fresh, creative tale about what happens when stars wish upon kids just like how kids wish upon stars! Friendships can be found in the unlikeliest of places, and Clyde finds out what happens when his hopes and dreams reach all the way to outer space. For everyone who loves The Day the Crayon’s Quit and Flora and the Flamingo, Twinkle Twinkle Little Kid is a natural addition to your bedtime storytime.

A hilarious story of wishes and friendship by Drew Daywalt, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Day the Crayons Quit, and Molly Idle, the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator of Flora and the Flamingo.

Everyone knows that kids wish upon stars, but did you know that stars wish upon kids, too?

When Clyde makes a wish on a star before bedtime, he doesn't expect the star to actually show up in his bedroom. Then Star reveals she made a wish, too! But both their wishes are secret.

From the author of the blockbuster hit The Day the Crayons Quit and the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Molly Idle comes a hilarious and heartfelt story about finding friendship in the most unexpected places.

Praise for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Kid:

"Daywalt succeeds in lightening the heavy topic of loneliness with plenty of breezy banter. The real magic is in colored-pencil artwork by Idle, which has the visual drama and framing of classic animation, as well as a captivating celestial protagonist, who floats through the air with gymnastic nimbleness.”—Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399171321
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/07/2021
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,151,935
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Drew Daywalt is the author of many books, including the blockbuster #1 New York Times bestselling The Day the Crayons Quit and its sequels, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. When Drew was a boy, he wished upon many stars, and one of those wishes was to be an author of funny, fantastical stories for children . . .

Molly Idle is the Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator of Flora and the Flamingo, as well as the creator of Tea Rex and the mermaid tales Pearl and Coral. Molly thanks her lucky stars that she gets to spend each and every day making art. It’s a wish come true!

Editorial Reviews

06/07/2021

After wishing a “secret wish” on a single star in the sky, tan-skinned Clyde goes to bed, only to be startled awake by the very same star, now in his bedroom and wishing on him. Pale, radiant Star defies gravity and has a sparkly, multihued aura, but otherwise resembles a human kid in both outfit (footie pj’s) and attitude (“Jeez! You have to scream like that?... You completely freaked me out!”). When Clyde is informed that he has the power to grant Star’s wish, he has to discern what the secret desire is—and, following a series of vignettes set against deep purple tones that evoke the wee hours, it’s eventually revealed that both characters have yearned and wished for the same thing: a friend. Though the dialogue can be long-winded, and the sum-up (the two “were never ever lonely again”) seems a touch dubious, Daywalt (The Day the Crayons Quit) succeeds in lightening the heavy topic of loneliness with plenty of breezy banter. The real magic is in colored-pencil artwork by Idle (the Flora and Her Feathered Friends series), which has the visual drama and framing of classic animation, as well as a captivating celestial protagonist, who floats through the air with gymnastic nimbleness. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Kid:
 
"Daywalt succeeds in lightening the heavy topic of loneliness with plenty of breezy banter. The real magic is in colored-pencil artwork by Idle, which has the visual drama and framing of classic animation, as well as a captivating celestial protagonist, who floats through the air with gymnastic nimbleness.”—Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

08/01/2021

K-Gr 2—This starts like many bedtime stories: There's a bright star in the sky and a white boy named Clyde decides to wish on it. Dejected that his wish doesn't immediately come true, he goes to sleep until the very star he wished on visits his bedroom window and starts to make a wish on him! From there, the writing style shifts into Daywalt's signature humor, as Clyde tries to guess what the star might have wished for. Finally, the star and Clyde discover that both of them had wished for a friend. The ending, while sweet, feels a little abrupt, perhaps because of a mashup of two writing styles that is not entirely cohesive. The early pacing and plot development is suitable for preschoolers, while the writing style ("Don't judge me! I'm not the weirdo climbing in people's windows!") seems aimed at an elementary audience. Tying it together is Idle's dream-like pencil art, rendered in deep purple tones, a perfect fit for the bedtime story plot. VERDICT This entertaining friendship tale is a solid choice for a mixed-age read-aloud.—Jessica Ko, Los Angeles P.L.

School Library Journal

2021-06-16
A boy gets an unusual payoff after wishing on a star.

Sitting outside one night, Clyde notices a lone star in the sky. He recites the “Star light, star bright” incantation and makes a wish. Disappointed when it doesn’t come true, he returns home. But later, while he’s asleep, the star he’d wished on sneaks into his bedroom and makes a wish on him! Startled awake, Clyde wonders how to grant Star’s wish. He shares some ideas (and actual objects) with her: a game of checkers, tent camping, tossing a Frisbee, and walkie-talkies. Star likes them, but they’re not her wishes; Clyde confides there’s no one to enjoy them with—and wonders if perhaps Star had wished for a friend. No one will be surprised at what Clyde next confesses to Star. The pair winds up playing together and becoming besties. This is a sweet but thin and predictable story about making friends. Still, readers will appreciate meeting feisty, celestial Star. The author reaches for humor using colloquialisms (“freaked out”), and kids will like the comfortable familiarity that develops between the cheery protagonists. The colored-pencil illustrations are rendered in a limited palette of mostly dark blues and purples, appropriate to the nighttime setting. Star is a luminous, pale yellow with a white topknot and has a star-dappled aura around her. Purple-pj’d Clyde wears bunny slippers and presents White. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Nice enough, but its twinkle is on the faint side. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews