Is it possible he can help a weary Monkey, or might he interfere and thereafter smudge the work across the sky? I don't normally count Children's books in my totals for the year, but I am this time because the illustrations are so incredibly breathtaking. This enchanting contemporary folk tale about how the stars were made is exquisitely illustrated, beautifully combining colour, shape and pattern.

There was just the right amount of choice to suit everyone without being overwhelming and I received comments from parents and staff about the quality of books offered compared to previous sales which have always been based around current crazes and well known celebrity authors. Yourself and Bob are much cherished in our booky world and I personally really appreciate everything that you do.

Poonam’s upbringing and childhood have heavily influenced her work, in particular being surrounded by Indian fabrics, Kalamkari textiles, Madhubani paintings and hand-painted ornaments. But when the moon disappeared for a few nights each month, she worried about her father and how he would find his way home from the sea in the deep darkness. So, the sun sends stars scattering them to the earth, and the girl's job is to place them deliberately in the sky to light up the world. This book could be used in the classroom for a unit about constellations because of the way that the fisherman's daughter made animals in the sky. The sun takes pity on the girl and throws a golden ray of light down to earth, where it shatters into a million glittering pieces.

Mistry's style so perfectly lends itself to this (original, I believe) fable about how a young girl placed stars in the heavens as way to help guide her fisherman father home on moonless nights.

In some respects it's hard to focus on the story, an original folktale, because the images are so mesmerizing. The details in the patterns making up the larger pictures, the colors shining on the dark pages, the way this all enhances the story itself. I haven't charted out my visits for the summer term, but I'm sure there are several in the south) and thanks so much for being so fantastic!