Owl and star by Helen Milroy

In another delightful picture book, Helen Milroy, Palyku writer and illustrator (Backyard beasties, The emu who ran through the sky), tells the story of Owl and Little Star. One night Owl, who loves to look at the stars at dusk, waits for his favourite star to appear. Where could she be?

What makes this book outstanding is the quality of the rich and detailed illustrations. Strong colours portray Owl and the night sky, all reflecting the familiar dots, lines, and patterns from this talented artist. My little grandson loved the pictures of Owl, sitting in his tree and trying to find his friend the little Star and was happy to listen again and again while examining the pictures.

The narrative flows along easily for a lovely read aloud for young children, while older children will enjoy trying to read it for themselves. My son, always interested in Astronomy, loved the story of Star appearing each evening in the sky and the way the Sun and Moon collaborated to bring Owl and Star back to earth on moonbeams.

In her dedication Helen says Owl and Star is 'a picture book for all stargazers – young and old and she says her message is, if you do care for the universe then the universe will care for you'. Owl and Star is a book that families will want to cherish and is a must for libraries and classrooms. Teacher's notes are available.

Themes: Astronomy, Friendship, Belonging, Persistence, Teamwork, Looking after country, Indigenous stories.

Pat Pledger