A Star Upon a Dream, written by elementary school teacher and former wrestler Kendall T. Newell, is a short and vibrant children’s book about a child’s internal dilemmas and insecurities as her class mates taunt her on the day of the school’s professional job fair, and how her loving father kindly helped her tackle the issue.

Meleah is a little girl who is thoroughly excited about Career Day. She still has no clue what profession she would like to pursue and hopes that the talks by adults in different areas of work will shed some light on the matter. Encouraged by her father, she leaves for school with the highest of hopes. However, her spirits suffer a blow when her classmates challenge each of her suggestions of possible professions she might pursue. That night, her father comes to the rescue and uses the starry night sky as a canvas to explain how each person is unique and can achieve their dreams in their own way.

The final section conveys the book’s key message, which is to highlight to children – who are especially sensitive to criticism and may struggle in handling it with care – that any third-party opinions should not obscure their objectives and wishes. In a world where kids are frequently exposed to television, the internet, and other forms of media that facilitate comparisons to be made, such as the ones Maleah suffered by her peers, this message is particularly noteworthy.

A Star Upon a Dream is a heartwarming children’s book about learning to believe in yourself and that no two people have to follow the same path, even if they are headed in the same direction. It is written ideally for the preteen age group and covers emotional topics they will encounter in today’s world. This is an excellent book to use to open up the discussion of peer pressure, bullying, and self-confidence.

Pages: 54 | ASIN: B09C7DYFB1