Stella's Starliner

I thought this was a wonderful book to read. The book was about a fox named Stella who lived in a house made of silver. It was called the Starliner. Stella had everything she needed in her silver house. Her dad worked the whole week so on Saturday nights he would come home and spend Sunday with Stella. Everything was good in Stella’s life until one day a bunch of weasels came by and made fun of Stella’s house, saying very mean things about her and her family. This made Stella very sad and had a hard time explaining to her mom what had happened. Stella’s mom informed her all would be okay because her dad had hitched the Starliner to the truck. The next day, she found herself in a completely new world. Stella now lived next to two bunnies who fell in love with the Starliner and wanted to come over and play inside. The bunnies were so impressed with Stella’s house, they thought that she was a zillionaire.

What a story. This is a story that I can read at all ages. There is a powerful message that is conveyed through the story. The weasels make fun of Stella because her house is a trailer and called her poor. Little did they know that her father worked all week to make the money that he had made. Her father still made time to spend with Stella and her mother did her best to keep her content and happy. This right here is a huge lesson for all students to learn. You never make fun of anyone because you have never walked a day in their shoes. Those weasels thought they were being funny, but instead their words, “Stung Stella’s heart like the stings of bees.” The book can also teach students how in other cultures people view things differently. In Stella’s hometown, the weasels thought she was poor and lived in an old trailer. But when Stella moved to her new town, the bunnies thought that her silver house was the most incredible thing they have ever seen. Their house was made out of wood and they were just amazed to go inside the silver house and see everything. They thought that Stella had to be a zillionaire to live in a beautiful house like that. One thing, like a house, can be viewed so differently across different cultures. It is important to respect each other’s differences and never tease anyone for their economic background. This picture book is a truly important story and I will definitely be using it in my own classroom one day.

Stella's Starliner

Author: Rosemary Wells

Year Published: 2014