Do your children love fairy tales with happy endings? I wrote this fairly tale, The First Star, for my children when they were young. I always read to them at night but one night they asked me to make up a new story to read to them. The First Star was born but not published until 2019.

All Jemsbooks carry life lessons. This book encourages children to be kind and caring to others, respect and listen to their parents, believe in oneself and be the best you can be and the most important thing in life is love and family.

Here is the limerick I wrote for The First Star:

LIMERICK

There once were two children named Kim and Chris.

Their father being absent, they did miss.

They wished upon the first star

That he would come back from afar.

Now the family is rich and happily together, they certainly are.

Blurb:

Once upon a time there were two children who loved their father so much that they missed him terribly each time he had to leave to go away to find buyers for his woodworking.The two children, Chris and Kim, were each given a gift made by their father to keep close to them until he could return. They worried whether he would return and prayed on the first star they saw each night that he would come home safely.

This story portrays the love that a father has for his children and them for him in return. It shows that being kind to others by putting others before you can be rewarding. Also, some things like love and good health are far more important than riches.

Here are some reviews on Amazon:

SM5.0 out of 5 stars “The First Star” is First Rate!!!Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2019Format: Kindle EditionAuthor Janice Spina’s new book “The First Star” is a marvelous addition to her growing collection of children’s books that entertain while they convey important values and great lessons.

The family portrayed in this lovely book struggles with poverty and the consequences of a shortage of funds. The father travels far to try and sell his goods, the mother does her best to keep the home fires burning, and the children deal as best they can. Life is hard for them, but they remain steady in their goodness and kindness. The family is rewarded for the virtues, yet even when their finances improve, they remember what is truly important in life.

Mrs. Spina imparts in a lovely age-appropriate fashion so that children can easily relate, the fundamental lesson of appreciating the blessings in our lives and makes the reader recognize that blessings are not measured by gold and silver and material possessions but by our kindness, by the happiness in our hearts, and by the love that we give and receive.

The beautiful story is accompanied by adorable illustrations by Mr. John Spina. The husband and wife team have done it again. Highly recommended!

Deanie Humphrys-Dunne5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful story with an important message!Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2019Format: PaperbackAward-winning author, Janice Spina has created another marvelous picture book for children. This time the story involves two children, Christopher and Kimberly and their family. They have very little money so their dad makes a special toy for each of them before he leaves home to find work. Of course, the children miss him very much. They begin wishing on a very bright star, in hopes their dad will return. Many amazing things happen in the story. Christopher and Kimberly realize there are more important things in life than material riches. It’s a great lesson for young readers. No doubt they will remember this lovely story and read it again and again. I highly recommend it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book and chose to review it without compensation.
Review by children’s author, Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

Blessings & Hugs!

Janice