Star of the Week

An earnest hamster's moment in the spotlight is less than stellar -- until a squiggly little line and a big burst of imagination let his true talents shine.

Stanley Birdbaum is one happy hamster. It's his turn to be Star of the Week at school He's ready to share his favorite food, his favorite toy, and, most of all, his favorite thing to do. Unfortunately, the week doesn't quite go as planned. His favorite food is, well . . . unusual. His favorite toy? It seems to be on the fritz. And sharing his favorite thing to do is scary, what with everyone staring and that bratty Polly Seedeater making mean remarks. But with a little encouragement from a good friend, Stanley summons his courage and gets his creative juices flowing. Now that's star power

BARNEY SALTZBERG is the author-illustrator of CRAZY HAIR DAY, the first book about Stanley Birdbaum. He is also the author-illustrator of CORNELIUS P. MUD, ARE YOU READY FOR BED? and many other titles. About STAR OF THE WEEK, he says, ＂I have found that making squiggle drawings is a great way to take people who don’t necessarily think that they can draw and watch them start making art! It’s a nonthreatening way to open the door to drawing. As for Stanley, once he had a pen in his hand, it was satisfying to see how he turned what seemed like a potentially disastrous moment into something positive.＂