First Star: A Bear and Mole Story

by Will Hillenbrand

Overview

Best friends Bear and Mole can't wait to go camping and sleep under the stars—but Mole worries, what if they get lost in the dark?

Rolling up sleeping bags, picking fresh berries, and climb-climb-climbing, the two buddies are having a great time hiking to Camp Tiptop. They especially can't wait to watch the sunset. But Mole soon realizes that when the sun goes down. . .it will be dark. What if they get lost?

Seeing Mole nervous, Bear decides to tell his friend the legend of a special star—the First Star—that will always help them find their way.

Featuring the popular characters and cozy illustrations of Will Hillenbrand's other Bear and Mole adventures, including Off We Go!, Spring is Here, and All For a Dime!, First Star is a perfect bedtime book, an ode to friendship, and a gentle reminder that no matter how dark it gets, your loved ones will always help you find your way.

A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823446711
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	06/09/2020
Series:	Bear and Mole , #5
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.73(w) x 9.48(h) x 0.12(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Will Hillenbrand has written and illustrated a wide range of picture books for children, including the popular Bear and Mole series. Spring Is Here won the Please Touch Museum Book Award. What a Treasure!, a Pennsylvania One Book, was written with his spouse Jane Hillenbrand. Will lives in Ohio, and is the Illustrator and Author in Residence at Kent State University. Find him at www.willhillenbrand.com.

Editorial Reviews

"First Star is a beautiful celebration of friendship, storytelling and the magic of a starry night."—Shelf Awareness

"A calming, nighttime addition to this adored duo’s series."—Kirkus Reviews

"Hillenbrand offers a tender depiction of two friends on an adventure that is almost—but not quite—scary with a story within a story that will stir readers’ imaginations."—Publishers Weekly

"Playful and lovely. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the book’s message to children afraid of the dark."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

04/01/2018
PreS-K—When Mole wants to see the stars, Bear suggests they go camping. Once there, Mole becomes scared of the approaching night. Bear, always encouraging and brave, tells Mole about the First Star, better known as the North Star. Throughout the text, repetitive words are set in caps. In shades of blue, purple, and black, the First Bear family look on in fear as it becomes dark out. Mole and Bear watch from the corner of the pages as First Father Bear, First Mother Bear, and First Little Bear create the moon and the stars. All the facial expressions relax as they are lit by the gentle white light of the sky and Mole's lantern. On a full vertical spread, First Father Bear pushes "HARD, HARD, HARD" to affix the North Star that will never move. At the end, the illustrations are still in dark hues, but the stars, body language of the characters, and dialogue make the story playful and lovely. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the book's message to children afraid of the dark. This is a gentle alternative to mythological creation stories and scientific explanations. VERDICT Another empowering message for fans of Bear and Mole that is perfect for bedtime and small group sharing.—Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Library, Lombard, IL

School Library Journal

2018-02-19
Bear and Mole go camping, but when the sky gets dark, Mole needs a reassuring story.Squat little Mole, with a round, bulbous nose, wants to sleep outdoors to "see the stars turn on." So Mole and Bear gather their camping gear and hike "UP, UP, UP"—while munching on berries: "YUM, YUM, YUM"—to the top of Camp Tiptop. But when they arrive, it is beginning to get dark, and Mole wants to go home. To settle his fears, Bear tells him a story of the earliest bear family. To combat the night's inky darkness, First Little Bear helps his mother shape white clay into the moon. Then First Little Bear scatters tiny white stones in the sky to become the stars. First Father Bear tries to push one, but it doesn't move. That star is the one constant—the titular First Star (or the North Star). Then, First Father Bear creates a "star picture" of First Little Bear in the sky, and First Star becomes his tail. Hillenbrand's warm, textured illustrations take on a gorgeous, luminous blue for the tale of the first bears, both text and stars glowing white against it. Of course, Mole delights in Bear's storytelling, and suddenly the darkness isn't so scary after all. The lack of backmatter on constellations represents a missed opportunity in an otherwise lovely book.A calming, nighttime addition to this adored duo's series. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews