How to Catch a Star by popular author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers is about a little boy who wants a star of his own and goes on a quest to find one. Star-catching is not as easy as he first thought – he tries climbing a tree, finds a lasso, jumps super high and even asks the bird to help him. Wondering whether it is time to give up, something catches his eye in the shiny reflection of the water and he follows a new lead to find a star of his very own on the sand.

The illustrations capture the determination of the boy as well as the highs and lows of his emotions along the way – the hopeful ambition of pursuing his goal, the sadness of nearly giving up and the sheer joy of fulfilling his dream, even if it is not how he first imagined it to be.

Oliver Jeffers’ books always make for calm story times that tap into positive human values like the joy of friendship, the wonder of the natural world, following dreams and not giving up. Younger children may also sometimes wonder whether stars can (or should) be caught, or perhaps be able to relate to the experience of wanting to collect something really beautiful from the natural world, like a shell, flower or a special stone. The language is short and simple and the pictures are appealing to children aged 4-7. There’s plenty of scope for imagination, discussion and innovation based on the story.