Stella, Star of the Sea

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

Sam is spending his first day at the seashore. Overwhelmed by the
vastness, noise, and motion of the waves, he puts off going into the
water by asking interminable questions: “Is it cold? Is it deep? Are
there any sea monsters? Do catfish purr? Does a parrotfish swim? Or does
it fly and squawk?” Infinitely patient and resourceful big sister,
Stella, has an answer for every question save one: “Won’t Sam ever
go into the water?!!”

This gentle, quietly humorous story captures the very special, though
sometimes frustrating, relationship between siblings. The luminous
watercolor illustrations complement the text perfectly, conjuring up a
summer day at the beach. The play on the name Stella (star) could lead
to some interesting discussions about names and their meanings with the
preschool children for whom this book is appropriate. Highly
recommended.