This imaginative children’s book was delightful! My 5 & 8 year old enjoyed the pictures and the charm of this fun book which led to lots of discussion on various subjects from stars to earth’s ozone and onto sleeping, job opportunities and creativity. It was a sweet bedtime story that we all enjoyed!

This is an adorable picture book. I love the idea of the Keeper of the Stars and the little references to how stars are used and Ursa Major being the Keeper. Very imaginative.

A very cute, fun children's picture book, might be especially good for a bedtime story.... This is really a 'warm fuzzy' of a book. The illustrations are colorful & welcome a child's imagination! I can definitely recommend sharing this with a little one! This is all good!
I received an e-copy of this book from publisher Owlkids Books via NetGalley, with the understanding that I'd be reading it & posting my own fair/honest review.

First grade students enjoyed the bits of humor in the story. The characters were illustrated in creative ways. The story was unique and the illustrations were really pretty. They enjoyed the part where the stars arranged themselves into words - it was funny! They did think it was too short; they wanted more to the story. They wanted to hear from more characters and they were curious what Milo's day looked like. They were also wondering why Milo was tapping things three times - that was never explained. Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let's start with the absolutely gorgeous illustrations. The pictures enhance the wistful dreaminess of the story. Love how Milo interacts with the other characters. Great for bed time reading.

This story follows Milo as he spends his nights visiting the Keeper of Stars up in the clouds. It’s playful and gentle as they go about their routines with the silly stars and ends with a cup of cocoa that warms the heart. The story touches softly on the loss or absence of a parent, referred to by the picture next to Milo’s bed. The final page states: “The stars are always there, he knows. Even when you can’t see them.” Simple and sweet.

'The Keeper of Stars' by Jennifer Harris is a sweet bedtime book. The illustrations are very nice. The story does not really connect as I think it is supposed to and would certainly be missed by younger readers.

The illustrations in this book caught my eye from the start. Milo, a sweet young boy, loves his routines; his mom reads 3 stories, Milo taps his father's picture 3 times before bed, etc. Mom has a habit of falling asleep while reading and Milo takes advantage of this and heads off to the stars to visit and help "the bear' clean up the night skies. The naughty stars and Milo struggle to get the sky prepared for the big star show before he must head back to bed. This dreamy story has lots of action in the illustrations and while the storyline is gentle, it will keep the attention of parents and children alike.

After getting ready for bed, listening to his three stories and watching as his mother falls to sleep beside him a young boy goes to the window and joins The Keeper of Stars for a nightly ritual of tidying up the sky. The Keeper is a beautiful midnight blue bear with a large star on his forehead and he and the young boy give the stars a wash, put them back in their places and take care of any debris in the sky. This is a whimsical and lovely book with a bit of a mystery to it concerning the boy's father and why he only appears in a photograph. I believe children will find it both entertaining and thought-provoking and look forward to sharing it at a library storytime.

Many thanks to Owlkids Publishing and NetGalley for a digital copy to read and review.

Lot of charm and whimsy, with beautiful illustrations. Milo's escapades with the unruly stars are fun, yet there is a pervading sense of wistfulness due to the opening and closing scenes at his house (what happened to his dad? why is his mom sleepy all of the time?) that give the story added depth and poignancy.

This story is such a cozy bedtime read. We follow a young boy who flies on a comet every night to go help the keeper of stars cling up the night sky before he heads to bed himself. The illustrations are gorgeous. It's truly a magical read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The illustrations on this book are beautiful. I like the overall concept of the book, but unfortunately it just felt like there were missing pieces

I thought this book was alright. I kept waiting for the theme to develop more, but it didn't really. The idea of the dad having passed away but never really gone was set up at the very beginning and returned to at the very end, but I felt like the middle was an entirely different book that didn't really do anything to develop or add to the theme. It was a decent idea for a book about loss and remembrance, but the execution was not fully there.

The Keeper of Stars is a delightful new children's book full of imagination and wonder. Milo has his nightly routine before bed. Just before drifting off, he ventures into the world of the stars where he engages in taking care of them while having a grand time.

This book will captivate young readers and be read on repeat. A great addition to your home or school library!

Thank you to Owlkids Books for my ARC copy.

I read this book with my niece and nephew and all three of us really enjoyed it. It was a cute story about a little boy named Milo who helps the Keeper of Stars clean up the mess in the sky every night after his mother falls asleep. The illustrations are excellent and truly add to the telling of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. #NetGalley #TheKeeperofStars

A touching story about a boy who climbs out his window to help the Keeper of Stars clean up the sky after a messy day. It's insinuated that maybe the father has passed and that's why the kid likes to look at the stars. (That was a little unclear)

This is a quiet little story about a boy named Milo, who every night taps his father’s picture three times, and reads not just one, but three books with his mom who falls asleep. Soon after, he puts on his slippers, and waits for the comet that comes that will bring him to help the Keeper of Stars, so that he can clean the sky of such things as balloons, and any smudges made by airplanes, as he joins The Keeper of Stars in washing and polishing the stars, who are harder to wash as they are ticklish. Sometimes he even makes mistakes, and the Keeper of Stars gets a bit grumpy.

There’s a lot of charm in this story, including the charm of the illustrations as well. A wonderful story which will appeal to both parents and young children.


Pub Date: 15 Apr 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Owlkids Books, Owlkids

A calming bedtime read about a young boy who climbs out his window each night to hitch a ride on a comet and help the Keeper of Stars (a large friendly bear) clean up the night sky: washing, polishing, and sweeping the stars, then playing and dancing with them. There's a gentle, whimsical tone to the writing and illustrations, with no real conflict in the story; the boy simply chronicles a series of simple yet wondrous things for young readers to imagine, like sitting on a cloud drinking hot chocolate or trying to bathe a ticklish star. There are a few moments of humor - such as when an attempt to spell "Happy Birthday Mom" in the stars stars turns into silly anagrams - and a subtle nod to missing an absent parent, but mostly this is just a cozy hug of a bedtime story.

This was lovely! A small part of me was concerned about how some children believe everything they read, and the main character climbing out the window was a bit eh, but most children will recognize the story is more about imagination and reaching new heights!

A cute story. Loved the pictures. The amount of words to a page was just right. Enjoyed the story. Perfect for multiple ages. Truly enjoyed the story with stars!