The Stars Just Up the Street

K-Gr 2–Mabel loves star-gazing and is intrigued when she hears that her grandfather used to be able to see thousands of them in the night sky when he was a child. Mabel is inspired when she learns that all that needs to happen to see a multitude of stars is to gaze at the night sky in complete darkness. She starts a campaign to have the community engage in a lights-out night to create the perfect environment for star-gazing. Her efforts require tenacity and perseverance, but Mabel ultimately achieves her goal and brings a community together in the process. One voice, one idea, really can make a difference. The idea that anyone, even a young child, with a passion for change can impact an entire community is extremely powerful. Readers will be inspired to stick with and pursue their dreams, undaunted by naysayers. The illustrations, done in ink, are soft and dreamy and depict the gradual progression of a sky with few stars to one covered in spectacular light. Readers will be left curious about real-life efforts to enjoy the natural beauty of the night without the interference of manufactured light.