A perfect bedtime book for the young rambler in your life who is feeling a little overwhelmed.
—The TODAY Show
When the child confesses to being frightened by “how big the universe is and how it goes on forever and ever,” Dad knows just what to say. . . . It’s a gem of a moment, an example of the way a parent can hear and transform a child’s fear. . . . Mom shares another surprise in this tender story about learning to approach that which feels unknown.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
At breakfast, our protagonist’s father announces that they are going camping in the desert. Why? “To shake hands with the universe,” says Dad. . . . It’s a heavy contemplation of the very nature of being, and yet Love makes it entirely kid-friendly. A gentle specificity easily merges the conceptual with the corporeal. . . . Young listeners who tend to be more introspective than rambunctious will appreciate this soothing rumination on the nature of existence and the accepting of the unknowable.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
Love (Julián Is a Mermaid, 2018) offers up a relatable, young protagonist seeking security and safety in the surrounding world. The watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations privilege evening blues and desert earth tones that are enlivened by splashes of pink and green depicting flora, sunrises and sunsets, and clothing. . . A reassuring look at our place in the universe.
—Booklist
Under the desert night sky, Dad helps his child find cosmic comfort. . . . A lovely vision for small, sensitive existentialists.
—Kirkus Reviews
Love’s watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations include both factual information (the steps to build a fire) and warm, loving scenes of the father and child together. . . . The desire for one-on-one attention from a parent is one many children will relate to.
—The Horn Book
A desert camping trip reassures a child about their place in an immense universe in this gentle, comforting picture book. . . . Love narrates from the child’s perspective in straightforward, earnest prose. . . . An earthy color palette and a soft, hazy quality to the linework and shading give the book a comforting, well-worn feel, while layered blues and purples create a majestic image of a star-studded night sky. The strongest element in A Bed of Stars is the calm, simple way in which the father makes the immense and overwhelming universe less frightening and more enchanting. . . a natural fit for bedtime or any situation that calls for reassurance. Love offers a moving reminder that learning can help us face our fears, move with confidence and find our place in the world.
—BookPage
In an essential book about facing almost any kind of fear, the creator’s ability to honor those fears without making them the entire focus is truly remarkable and renders a universal appeal.
—School Library Journal
The universe is all around us and the stars are there every night to shine for us is the message Dad seeks to share with his young child who is afraid of the dark. . . .This is a warm story about driving away bedtime fears. The soft sketches and use of colors enhance each scene and informational labels are applied during the teaching moments of the story.
—School Library Connection
[A] lovely celebration of life’s wonders.
—The Buffalo News
This is a wonderful picture book about father-child bonding and feeling at home with the universe.
—The Omaha World-Herald
This story by a New York-based actor and author/illustrator is one of the best of the season. . .This story would be perfect for kids who are between picture books and reading by themselves.
—The Pioneer Press
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