All the Stars in the Sky
Published on 16. September 2025
Book
Hardback
40 pages
978-1-6659-3137-3 (ISBN)
Description
Last Stop on Market Street meets We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga in this sweet, bighearted picture book about a young boy who learns the Cherokee lesson of gadugi-how working together and helping each other makes the whole community stronger.
When eager Clay asks his elisi (grandmother) for help to be named star of the week at school, he's surprised by her answer: No one person is more important than his family and his community. But is Clay still important at all?
This contemplative exploration of community, individualism, and responsibility-accentuated with traditional beadwork in the art-is a moving invitation to consider an indigenous perspective of one's place in the world and how we all light up our sky, together.
When eager Clay asks his elisi (grandmother) for help to be named star of the week at school, he's surprised by her answer: No one person is more important than his family and his community. But is Clay still important at all?
This contemplative exploration of community, individualism, and responsibility-accentuated with traditional beadwork in the art-is a moving invitation to consider an indigenous perspective of one's place in the world and how we all light up our sky, together.
Reviews / Votes
? "Between story and art, this is a staggeringly lovely book, worth a readaloud in a classroom and perfect for a young one who may need reminding that everyone is important as part of the community." -- <I><B>The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, </B></I><B>STARRED REVIEW</B> "This tender book is a warm exploration of the value of community." -- <B><i>The Washington Post</i></B> "Original, exceptional, unique, compelling." -- <I><B>The Midwest Book Review</B></I> "Using straightforward language, Cherokee, English, and Dutch author Coulson...expertly shows Elisi passing knowledge across generations and with love-an action that prompts a shift in the boy's focus. Three-dimensional-feeling colored pencil and watercolor illustrations by Ojibwe artist Nelson...intersperse warm domestic images with sweeping views of the night sky, and the addition of beaded motifs underscores the book's message: "Each star plays its part in keeping the constellation together."" -- <I><B>Publishers Weekly</B></I> "The Cherokee concept of gadugi-'when we work together and help each other out, our community is stronger'-serves as a gentle reframe in this values-based work that focuses on constellations over individual stars." -- <B><i>Publishers Weekly</i></B>More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Simon & Schuster
Target group
Children/juvenile
US School Grade: From Preschool to Third Grade, Interest Age: From 4 to 8 years
Product notice
Picture book
Illustrations
f-c digital (jkt spfx: foil, emboss, spot gloss on textured uncoated stock); int: coated stock
Dimensions
Height: 218 mm
Width: 284 mm
Thickness: 15 mm
Weight
431 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-6659-3137-3 (9781665931373)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Art Coulson
All the Stars in the Sky
E-Book
09/2025
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
€10.87
Available for download
Persons
Art Coulson is a writer of Cherokee, English, and Dutch descent and comes from a family of storytellers in all three traditions. A Navy brat, Art traveled the world, attending fourteen schools on three continents before graduating high school. Art served as the first executive director of the Wilma Mankiller Foundation in the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma after an award-winning twenty-five-year career in journalism. A 2023 McKnight Fellow in Children's Literature, Art is the author of twenty books, graphic novels, and plays, including Chasing Bigfoot, Bank Street Best Book of 2020 The Reluctant Storyteller, All the Stars in the Sky, and Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!, which was named a best STEM children's book by the National Science Teaching Association. Find out more at ArtCoulson.com.
Winona Nelson is a fine artist and illustrator of comics and children's books. She's the illustrator of If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell, which was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and All the Stars in the Sky by Art Coulson. Her fine art, which often focuses on the stories and history of her tribe, the Ojibwe of Minnesota, as well as on gender and diversity, has been featured in galleries across the country. She lives in Pennsylvania with her artist beau Anthony and their gentleman cats, Diego and Tod.
Winona Nelson is a fine artist and illustrator of comics and children's books. She's the illustrator of If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving by Chris Newell, which was a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and All the Stars in the Sky by Art Coulson. Her fine art, which often focuses on the stories and history of her tribe, the Ojibwe of Minnesota, as well as on gender and diversity, has been featured in galleries across the country. She lives in Pennsylvania with her artist beau Anthony and their gentleman cats, Diego and Tod.