YOU AND I ARE STARS AND NIGHT, by Kate Hosford and Richard Jones, Beach Lane Books, Feb. 3, 2026, Hardcover, $19.99 (Ages 4-8)
A caregiver and child travel through a shared imagined journey in You and I Are Stars and Night, by Kate Hosford and Richard Jones.
The wind is calling. Hear it sweep
through our village, fast asleep.
Will you sail away with me?
You and I are salt and sea…
And so, bathtime turns into a magical expedition. A grown-up and child embark on the voyage together, meeting mermaids in the sea, playing hide-and-seek in an enchanted forest, and soaring with the birds before sailing home to read and snuggle in for bedtime, which they know is just another adventure beginning.
Through it all, they cherish the most important thing in both dreamland and the real world: being together. —Synopsis provided by Beach Lane Books
You and I Are Stars and Night is a rhythmic story that sets the tone for bedtime.
Author Kate Hosford’s bouncy text is fun to read aloud as you travel across seas, play with mermaids, and explore an island, all before heading home to bed.
Illustrator Richard Jones brings Hosford’s words to life with soft edges and a sense of movement. His use of space and color bring both a feeling of grand adventure and coziness of home.
You and I Are Stars and Night is a joy to listen to and explore, making it a good choice for shared reading, particularly as part of a nighttime routine.
About the creators:
Kate Hosford is the author of seven picture books and two poetry collections, garnering accolades such as being named an American Library Association Notable Book, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. Her books have been published in eight languages. She is a graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts where she earned her MFA in writing for children and young adults. Kate lives in Brooklyn with her family. To learn more, visit khosford.com.
Richard Jones has been living and working in Devon, England, for more than twenty years. He spent several years working in a busy children’s library, issuing and shelving other artists’ picture books before one day wondering if it wasn’t about time he had a proper go at creating one or two himself! Richard has written and illustrated many picture books, including Wondering Around by Meg Fleming, The Snow Lion by Jim Helmore, Quiet by Tom Percival, and You and I Are Stars and Night by Kate Hosford.
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