Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books About Families List (2024)

"Straightforward, heartfelt words and thin-lined, fully imagined drawings from Desnitskaya (On the Edge of the World) give tender voice to one child's refugee experience." -- Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

"Encouraging empathy and understanding, this illuminating picture book offers a realistic account of finding oneself in a new place and shines a light on the healing power of hope." -- Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

"A beautiful tale of loss and adjustment; for those who have never had to leave home, perhaps a lesson in insight and empathy. Highly recommended." -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

"Beautifully crafted and warmly empathetic." -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

A poignant story about a displaced family making a home in the aftermath of war.

We used to live in a big city. In our apartment window was a star-shaped lamp, shining through the cold. I could recognize home from far away. But then the war began, and we left for another country. Everything is different here--the food, the language, even Mom and me. Today Mom bought us a package of scissors, glue, and cardboard. Can we make this place feel a little more like home?

Narrated by a young refugee, A Star Shines Through is based on the experiences of the author-illustrator, who left Russia with her family after the start of the Ukraine War. With an evocative palette of blues and yellows, Anna Desnitskaya shows how making art can create a sense of hope, even amidst emigration and resettling.

Cooperative Children's Book Center CCBC Choices List - Picture Books (2025)