Thanks to Amanda from the Springfield-Greene County Library system for sharing a terrific new picture book, The Starkeeper by Faith Pray, that ties in perfectly to a streamer rhyme we created here at Storytime Stuff!

Here’s the publisher’s description of the book:

A fallen star and one child’s kindness lead to a chain of good works that change her town from a dreary, dark place to one of dazzling brightness.

When a girl finds a fallen star, she decides to keep it hidden. But this star encourages kindness and needs to shine, so it comes out from the shadows. At first the glow from the star starts to fade, and the girl worries–maybe she’s not a very good starkeeper. Then a chance gesture of kindness seems to brighten the star, and soon this kindness leads to a chain of good works that light up the once-dreary town.

The art of the book follows the star’s journey and lights up more and more with each act of kindness.

After the year that was 2020, we can all use a little more kindness and more shining stars!  Follow the story with our streamer rhyme below:

“The Star”

There once was a star who lived up in the sky (wave streamer above head)

He twinkled and twinkled at all who came by (move streamer in small movements to represent twinkling)

He twinkled left and he twinkled right (move streamer left, then right)

He twinkled through the day and he twinkled through the night (continue twinkling)

He twinkled down at the earth and he twinkled at me (point streamer down and keep twinkling)

Until he decided Earth was where he wanted to be.

So one day he twinkled as brightly as could be (move streamer in large back and forth movements)

And became a shooting star who came down…to…me! (slowly make streamer descend to the ground)

For more fun:

Teach the sign STAR in American Sign Language (click here for a video demo) and sign it as you sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”!