Review - Child of the Universe

Child of the Universe
by Ray Jayawardhana
illustrated by Raul Colón
Date: 2020
Publisher: Make Me a World
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Just like the sun gives shine to the moon,
you light up the world beyond this room . . .
You are grand and marvelous, strong and mysterious.
The history of the world is in your fingertips.

A meditation on the preciousness of one child and the vastness of the universe, this picture book shares the measure of a parent's love along with the message that we are all connected to the broader cosmos.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've read other books in this vein before. This one left me a little bit cold. I wasn't a fan of the really loose rhymes ("mysterious" and "fingertips" rhyme here... apparently). The pictures are okay but didn't wow me. The basic premise is that we're all made of star stuff. That's fine. But I've seen it done better elsewhere.

If you're a fan of Raul Colón's work, you may want to check this one out. If you're looking for a better book with the same premise, try You Are Stardust by Elin Kelsey and Soyeon Kim.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5