A poignant memory of happier days for author comes true in words here in the form of this picture book. This is a story of a displaced family the aftermath of war when they had to leave for another country where neither food is their own nor did language.

Told from the POV of a young girl, it was depicted very well on how war situations impacted most the Children. A young girl who used to comeback to her home daily from her music classes used to recognize her home from far away by looking at illuminated Star-shaped lamp. When she had to move to another country she missed all those things lacking whatever she learnt and used to since her childhood. But one such day, her mother brought craft papers and they cut-paste the papers to make their very own start-shaped lamp and now after so long she again start to feel bit of a belonging with the place now she is residing in.

Beautifully crafted this picture book can be read to become the thought-provoking emotion in us all for why so many riots and wars required.
Why can't rioters and war-mongers can't just stay shut in their houses and leave rest of the world to peace-offerings? Though not all refugees are good for any country but few are genuine who had to really face the problem.

However, One thing I do not understand from Author's bio is that why she with her family didn't go back to Russia? Why she not felt safe in her own country? Ukraine is not that powerful to destroy Russia so why leave the home? For me, Even if I have to leave my country (God forbid it must become reality) for any such reasons, I believe this is my ardent responsibility to be here and serve her instead of running away, specially when we're much stronger and right in every aspect. Moreover, she lived in Cyprus which is near Lebanon & Syria and in addition not too far from Israel where Palestinian terrorists Hamas militants are attacking, and still you have to keep moving to new place so till when you will do this? Better to go back to your native place in Moscow.

Anyway, illustrations were the most attractive part of this book. Background was so alive and vibrant. Interpretation of author's thoughts behind writing it was clearly elaborated and supported by the sombre expressions of graphics. Noir effect of the reminiscences of author were very grasping and it was having a combination made uniquely by blending realistic graphics with dark hues.

A thought provoking read with a somber tone throughout. I was drawn to the simple art style. While the story was heavy, it was nice that it ended on a light note and the illustration style helped. This book would be great for schools, libraries and families wanting to share with children about current events.

Absolutely adored the illustration. This illustration style is one of my favourite and I felt like it helps the story a lot. The actual story could use a bit of polishing, but even so it was enough to get a feel of it and to leave the illustrations do the rest.

It's not an easy topic to approach, but I liked how it was treated and it warmed me up inside.

Beautiful story and majestic illustrations.
It's a story of change, of displacment, and overcoming obsticle by keeping a small light of optimism.
The book is full of emotion and feeling, emphaty and nostalgic feeling. I love it.

A Star Shines Through is quite a sad and heavy book about a really important topic. Many children have to leave their homes behind for one reason or another - and sometimes that reason is a war. I feel like this book could offer comfort and understanding to many who find themselves in a new home. I know I probably would have benefited from a story like this as a child who spent three years asking when we are going back home after simply moving to another house.

For the art itself, it's really beautiful and melancholic and I really enjoyed how much warmth the star on the window brought to the story. My biggest complaint is that of the text itself. It was quite small and sometimes I turned the page and I thought there were no words on it at all. And then I turned the page again and the text there didn't make sense with the previous one so I had to go back looking for the text.

I also had a bit hard time feeling for the characters as the story just started with; hey here is a character. Now the character is in another place. Now the story is over. So, I didn't really feel connected to the story at all.

But overall, nice book with beautiful illustrations.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Can you even imagine how scary it is to leave the town where you've lived all your life and move to very different places where they don't even speak the same language and the buildings look nothing like at home?
The illustrations by the author are simple, meaningful, and just right.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company via NetGalley. Thank you!

As someone who has spent her life moving [though never because of war; something I am forever grateful for], this book resonated deeply with me and I felt all the feels as the characters in the book try to adapt to their new home[s] and I know first hand how important it was to have something that reminded us of our previous home and gave us comfort.

An important book for all ages [and filled with fantastic illustrations], if you've ever had to leave a place you've loved, this will stay with you and remind you of these times. If you've been lucky enough to not have had to go through that, this book will bring thankfulness to your heart and will teach littles compassion and empathy towards those who have had to flee their own beloved homes.

The notes at the end will break your heart and I an only hope, moving forward, the author and her family will find their forever home, and find things that will give them comfort as they say their final goodbyes to all they used to know and love and move forward in their new normal.

Thank you to NetGalley, Anna Desnitskaya, and Wm. B. Eerdman's Publishing Group/Eerdman's Books for Young Readers for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the message of this book. Everything changes during a war. I love that she acknowledged that the people had changed, and the story wasn't about trying to fix the people, but they found a way to being a piece of home and comfort back. I also love how that wasn't a fix for everything. I really loved this story.

As the amazing cover shows, the art in this book is modern, cosmopolitan and great.
The topic is a touching and important one - displacement, new home, belonging, and change are all mentioned or tackled.
Though, this deserved to be longer, more layered and complex. It has so much potential.

This was a really lovely book that does a great job showing the plight of refugees in a way that can touch children with kindness. I loved the pictures and also the idea of being able to make your own light wherever you go.

A simple story, beautifully illustrated, A Star Shines Through shares lessons with us all about displacement, family and home.

This is a very simple picture book about a girl and her family who have to leave their home, and move somewhere else. In her old home, there was a star in the window. In this new home, there is not. Everything is different. Andit feels strange.So her mother gets and hangs a star and things start to feel a little better.
As theauthor notes, this is based on what happened to her when she was forced to leaver her country, and find refuge elsewhere. This is a sweet story telling how just little things can make a new home feel more like the old home. With so many refugees and people being displaced, this is a book that will explain to the young what they are experiencing is not different or strange.


The language used is simple. The pictures show the contrast before and after, and what the girl had before, and does not have now.


And for those who have never been forced to flee, perhaps a little sympathy for those who did.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 20th of August 2024.

A great snapshot of what it is like to leave your home country. Making traditions in a new country to make it seem more like a home and the importance of togetherness.

The illustrations in this book are really powerful and draw the reader in - they are both simple and complex and very “readable”

I love this book and will definitely incorporate it into my regular annual reading.

A review of this book has been shared on StoryGraph

There was a really good idea here. I just think that the way it was executed was a bit lazy. The illustrations and the idea worked well for me, but the plot development and the type weren't that good for me.
The illustrations were simple, yet still very detailed and looked nice. I liked how the illustrator played with opposites and light in the drawings, and added color, but just a little bit. All of this helped to really convey the general tone of the story, and especially the title. The core idea was great, but I don't think the entire book did it justice. The core idea is about making the best out of a bad situation, and doing what you can; making lemonade out of lemons. This is great for young readers to see and take to heart, especially if they are experiencing changes or challenges of their own. However, due to the lack of plot development, this idea wasn't fully played out.
What I mean when I say that the plot wasn't fully developed is that we only got to see the tip of the iceberg. I would have liked to see more of a beginning, middle, and end rather than just a beginning and abrupt end. The other thing that contributed to this issue was that there was zero character development or personality. We don't get to know about the main characters at all, we only know that they moved due to a war and the change is a lot for them to handle. Taking personality away from the characters ultimately took the personality out of this book and made it a dull read.
My last critique is about the type. The type on most of the pages was way too small and hard to notice, making for a confusing reading experience. Even if the type was just a *little* bit bigger, it would have made a big difference.
Great ideas here and nice illustrations, just fell a bit short for me.

Despite a rather somber mood throughout, this book ends on a hopeful note. Drawing from the author's own experiences, it tells the story of how sudden war impacts one young girl and her mother. The tone, both in mood and illustrations, tends toward darkness but the star in the window shines forth and gives hope. The text is succinct, no wasted words, while the illustrations help convey the confusion and unease of being forced from their home, forced to find shelter where they not only seem to know no one but don't speak the language. One illustrations clearly shows how frustrated and blank one must feel looking at signage in foreign locations, not even sure what sort of store/shop/business may be housed there. Check out that same location later in the book.

The one consistent besides her mother and the star, seems to be the presence of the girl's musical instrument. She's seen alone with it in the new location than, as time passes, she seems to have found a friends that she shares a passion for music with. As she heads home, she is somehow reassured by the star shining from their window, a sign of hope for her and her mother. I liked that the book made a point of showing the mother's difficulties, too, how the war and move changed her as well as her daughter. As noted, the story is conveyed as much by the artwork as words, so be sure to take note of what you're seeing as well as reading.

There is nothing simple about either this book or the impact of war and displacement on people. My thanks to #NetGalley and #Wm.B.EerdmansPublishingCompany for sharing this heartfelt look at how, despite change, like a star, hope can shine through. This would make a lovely addition to school libraries and is one that could open up conversations between adults and children about current events.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

The book was sad, but cute at the same time. Such a topic isn't for weak nerves and with the star and illustrations it was put into a lighter mood. I did enjoy this read, but I was a bit confused with the text as I sometimes opened another page and at first thought it had no text just to find it small in some corner. I didn't quite like that as it also ruins a bit the flow of reading as one is sometimes more busy searching for the text than enjoying the illustrations. The text colour was also always the same and on a darker background it was sometimes harder to see.

I also had a hard time to sympathise with the characters as the writing sometimes sounded dull.

Nevertheless, it was a quick and interesting read, with very beautiful illustrations



Thank you Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, for the advanced reader copy of A Star Shines Through by Anna Desnitskaya.



Started the book: 26. June 2024
Finished the book: 26. June 2024
Wrote the review: 26. June 2024

I'd give this book ten stars if I could. First of all, the illustrations are beautiful and can be appreciated by adults and children alike. There are many things to notice on each page and an adult and child could linger and talk about what they see.

The thoughtful wording of the book and the theme itself makes me strongly advocate for this book being added to every school and public library as well as school classrooms. It will be a springboard to many important discussions and realizations. And finally, there is something in it that any parent and child could identify with. It's a short book written for children, but as I finished it I had tears in my eyes.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I hope to read more from this author and this book will be at the top of my list of best reads this year!

This is a beautiful picture book showing the difficulties faced by people forced to leave their homes for reasons beyond their control, in this case, war. The child in the story notices how everything is different in her new home and how it makes her and her mum different too. One day, her mum brings home the materials to recreate the cardboard star that used to hang in the window of their old home. This helps them to start to see that different doesn't have to mean worse and that there are many things they can learn to understand and love in their new home too.

I loved it and will definitely be adding it to our library when it is published.

The book was beautifully written and the illustrations were delightful. The author made careful word choices that were very impactful and will be great for young children. Overall, the book was well written and I did really enjoy it.

I absolutely loved the message of this book. It takes a very simple and familiar concept- home- and contextualizes it for children to understand. Teaching children about important concepts like empathy and understanding are important to me, and this book captures those themes so beautifully.