Stars of the Night

"A not-to-be-missed, inspirational book about courage, heart, and the necessity of caring for others."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Stars of the Night recounts the powerful true story of the 669 children who traveled as part of the Czech Kindertransport from Prague to Britain on the eve of World War II, as Hitler's campaign of hatred toward Jews and political dissidents took hold. Told from the collective perspective of the children, the narrative follows their journey as they leave everything they’ve ever known in hopes of staying safe. After the war ends, they return to Prague only to find that nearly all of their parents have been killed by the Nazis. And more than fifty years pass before they learn the identity of the British man who was instrumental in saving their lives—Nicholas Winton.

Award-winning author Caren Stelson teams up with acclaimed illustrator Selina Alko to sensitively tell this tale of survival and defiance in the face of tyranny.

Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year 2024 NCSS/CBC Notable Social Studies Book List ALA Notable Children's Book School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books of the Year Notable Books for a Global Society List New York Public Library Best Books for Kids List National Jewish Book Award Finalist Orbis Pictus Award Recommended Book Social Justice Literature Award Recommended Reading List

“"This book tells my father's story through the eyes of the children he helped to save from the Holocaust. My father, an ordinary man, put together a small team and together they saved 669 children. His story is a reminder of the huge difference any one of us can make in the lives of others. Our world depends on it. This tragic episode in our history is being repeated now in many parts of the world. Governments alone seem unable to solve these problems--it is down to people like him, people like us, to make the change we want to see." --Nick Winton, son of Sir Nicholas Winton”

"A necessary and inspirational book about a little-known light amid a dark period of history, this book should find a home in all libraries."—starred, School Library Journal

"Quiet but immediate. . . . The in-the-moment text combines with emotional acrylic, colored-pencil, and collage illustrations in Alko's signature style to create a dreamlike atmosphere."—starred, The Horn Book Magazine

"A not-to-be-missed, inspirational book about courage, heart, and the necessity of caring for others."—starred, Kirkus Reviews

"Both heartbreaking and hopeful."—Association of Jewish Libraries

"Balancing tragedy and hope, this story preserves the memory of Jewish children who found new lives despite and because of their irrevocable losses."—Jewish Book Council

"[A] good addition to teach elementary-aged children about a lesser known event during the second World War and how one person can make a difference in many lives. Reviewer Rating: 5" –Children's Literature

"Stelson masterfully provides background context for today's young readers, while keeping the focus of the story on the children's experience. Rating: OUTSTANDING"— BayViews

"In a collective voice . . . Stelson describes rising tides of anti-Semitism, tearful partings, scary journeys by train and boat, meetings with British foster families, and then a return to Prague at war's end to search out the scanty remnants of families and, long after, to learn who had organized the escape."—Booklist

"Stelson employs a communal we to narrate this story of 669 primarily Jewish children of the Czech Kindertransport . . . Impressionistic acrylic, collage, and pencil art by Alko is embellished throughout with sparkling stars and round yellow orbs."—Publishers Weekly

"This book tells my father's story through the eyes of the children he helped to save from the Holocaust. It is a reminder of the huge difference any one of us can make in the lives of others. Our world depends on it. It is down to people like him, people like us, to make the change we want to see."—Nick Winton, son of Sir Nicholas Winton

Caren Stelson is an award-winning author of nonfiction books that focus on war and peace themes. She believes young readers want to know the truth about their world and how others find resilience and courage in difficult times. Her work includes Ezra Jack Keats Book Award winner A Bowl Full of Peace and Sachiko: A Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor's Story, which was longlisted for a National Book Award and received a Sibert Honor Award, the Jane Addams Children's Book Award, and the Flora Stieglitz Straus Award. Caren and her husband Kim live in Minneapolis. Selina Alko spends her days melding words and mixed-media art to convey stories of hope and inspiration—as well as an alternative viewpoint. Her books include The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage, Can I Touch Your Hair?, Daddy Christmas & Hanukkah Mama, I is for Immigrants, and Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport, which was a National Jewish Book Award Finalist and selected as a Best Children's Book of the Year by Bank Street College of Education and School Library Journal. Selina lives in Brooklyn, New York.

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