This book does a great job explaining the Big Bang Theory. This book had really detailed pictures with little words, that easily describe for kids to understand. Each page of the book talks about the next step in the BBT belief. This book is great for primary students.

From Kirkus: "The stories of the births of the universe, the planet Earth, and a human child are told in this picture book . . . It’s a stunning achievement to present to readers the factual events that created the birth of the universe, the planet Earth, and life on Earth with such an expressive, powerful creativity of words paired with illustrations so evocative of the awe and magic of the cosmos. But then the story goes one brilliant step further and gives the birth of a child the same beginning, the same sense of magic, the same miracle."

Even though this was a real quick read, I love how the ending tells us all that we are born from a dying star and that we are all connected with each other in some form or another. It’s so sweet and it made me feel better. ( )

Alright. I have mixed feelings on this book.

I loved the illustrations. They are impactful and vibrant--full of life and vitality. They look like paint splotches that create the pictures mentioned in the text. Or they look like milk paint (look it up. It's a fun science experiment!) I also love that there are "hard" words, hard adverbs, in the book. Increasing a child's vocabulary is vital!

But why then did I give it a 3 star review? For me, it's because I don't believe in the Big Bang....and that's what this is about. =/ Or it has that premise. I can appreciate the book for all the beauty in it and I can see where most will LOVE this. But sometimes, on topics of my worldview, I can struggle. I think there are a lot of redeeming qualities in "The Stuff of Stars" that makes this book worth reading. But it isn't one I must add to my bookshelf at home. ( )

This book caught my eye because of the BEAUTIFUL art throughout, and it will stay on my bookshelf because of its story! Some collage pages give it a Magic Eye effect with different layers/depths/dimensions, creating an even more wondrous experience. This free verse children's book tell the origin of the Earth, beginning with a speck, ‘invisible as thought/ weighty as God./ There was yet no time,/ there was yet no space.’ Then BANG! Stars and planets formed, ‘turning/ that starry stuff/ into mitochondria,/ jellyfish,/ spiders,/ into ferns/ and sharks,/ into daisies/ and galloping horses./ Again and again/ stardust/ gave birth/ to stardust’ until humans were formed, taking ‘a big breath/ of the same air/ once breathed/ by woolly mammoths.’ The language used throughout creates a lovely story of existence and our connection to the universe, fit for any kiddo's bookshelf. ( )