An African-American boy is kept awake at night by a question that nags at him: just how many stars are there up in the sky? Pajama-clad, he situates himself in his own backyard and sets out to count them but there are too many stars and they keep moving, besides. Finally he and his dad get into their pickup truck and head for the country, where they can get the best view of the stars. The deep blue, green and brown hues of James Ransome's richly textured oil paintings aptly depict a nighttime suburban neighborhood as well as city and rural scenes. (Ages 3-7)

Mama's away one night, and her son can't sleep. He tries to relax by counting stars, but the more of them he sees, the more determined he is to count every single one. Then the boy finds that Daddy can't sleep either. Together, the two of them set off on an unforgettable all-night journey of discovery.