The brightest Christmas star by Laura Motherway. Illus. by Deb Hudson

It’s the star’s best time of the year, Christmas Eve, when it will shine as brightly as it can. It watches over the families doing things together as Australian families do. As each page is turned, we see children around Australia involved in the customs we all hold dear at this time of the year. The children on the farm have set up some storage bales of hay with fairy lights, children play cricket at the beach with their families, all kitted out in Christmas hats ready for a picnic.  In the town’s main street, shops have fairy lights and banners, trees have lights festooned in the branches, people are buying their last-minute presents, children sing for passersby. At school, children make wrapping paper, at home, they bake Christmas biscuits, to wrap for presents, some presents are given to those who do not have one, and all the while the star twinkles overhead.

When the day is over, and all are in bed, the star watches, as it has done for generations. It shines brightly now for the passing reindeer and sleigh, as children dream of what tomorrow may being.

The illustrations show an array of Christmas customs and experiences. Bells, stars, presents, a Christmas tree, wrapping paper, Christmas lights, Christmas stockings, Christmas bon bons and so on, encouraging readers to share those things their family does at Christmas.

This is a happy verse story about the night sky in Australia at Christmas time which encourages children to predict rhyming words and say the lines along with the reader.

Themes: Christmas, Family, Stars, Verse.

Fran Knight