Sparkling Together
Starbright and His Earthling Friends
By Jyoti Ma

     An exceptional blend of fantasy and ethics!

     Rose Heart couldn't believe her eyes! A spaceship landed in her backyard! She and her brother, Sky, quickly overcome their fear and run to greet the Earth-like boy who emerges from the craft. Starbright, from the planet Om, befriends the Heart children and leads them on eight adventures here on Earth and on Om. During each trip, the three friends face a common childhood challenge: loneliness, a bully, a new home, new friends, a new sibling, an unemployed parent and the loss of a loved one.

     Starbright, Sky and Rose never fail to demonstrate the power of love, the joys of friendship and the benefit of keeping a positive attitude. Every chapter emphasizes these ideals with a truism printed in bold type at the end.

     Kudos to Ms. Ma for never lecturing readers; she teaches by demonstrating positive values in action. The exciting stories, written in easy-to-read vocabulary, will encourage young readers to keep turning the pages. Little ones will delight in Chandra Devi's brilliant illustrations. You have to see the unique way in which the author and illustrator show the characters' emotions! High quality, glossy pages assure this book will endure the repetitive readings which children are bound to request.

     I could think of no better way to spend my evenings than to snuggle a child onto my lap and share the magic of Sparkling Together: Starbright and His Earthling Friends.