CONNECTING THE STARS

Stevenson’s lushly illustrated children’s book tells the constellations’ stories.

In short, catchy rhyming couplets, Stevenson shares the tales of the constellations based on Greek myths of gods, heroes, and monsters—like that of Corvus, named after Apollo’s punishment of the crow of bad tidings; Pavo conjures Hera’s peacock with spying eyes littered throughout its feathers; and Hydra evokes the myth of Heracles’ slaying of the sea serpent—as well as other triumphs and tragedies written in the stars. (“Not only did this horse have wings, / but he created magic springs!”) Maris’ illustrations bring these stories to life in a cool palette of mostly blues, violets, and greens, a perfect contrast to the book’s use of bright yellows and soft whites to draw out the stars. This is not to say the book is overly dark. Jupiter and the little fox Vulpecula are rendered in bright orange, and the Phoenixes fly in a fiery and bright-pink glow, never obscuring their celestial patterns. Maps of the actual constellations are laid over the figures they represent, so readers might recognize them in the night sky if they know where to look. Each constellation contains a compass within the illustration with a “hidden” direction that indicates the constellation’s hemisphere and gives kids another way to engage with the work. The children stargazing are depicted diversely, each of a different race or culture. The entries balance astronomy and poetic storytelling, from the unrivaled size of the Hydra (“the largest in the sky”) to the existence of the Phoenix in Egyptian legend as well. Kids who like magical creatures and monsters will find a few here, though parents worried about frightening or inappropriate imagery given the nature of Greek mythology have nothing to fear. Cerebus is depicted as a three-headed purple puppy, while the reasons for Hera’s jealousy concerning Zeus are kept child friendly.

Vibrant illustrations and simple poetry converge into a great introduction to mythology and astronomy.