The Boy Who Saved the Stars

by Doris Vallejo

A young boy on a faraway planet must find a way to stop the stars from disappearing from the sky.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

Reviews

[Jamie Jonas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an odd little book. Having acquired with some difficulty and read it, I realize why it isn't exactly a popular entry in the young adult books of the time (the late seventies). Boris Vallejo, an uber-popular fantasy artist, contributes the illustrations for his then-wife's narrative--not surprisingly, considering the nature of his amazing but very adult art, those illustrations don't entirely work here. In attempting to adapt his style to juvenile fare, Vallejo applies an odd, sometimes unsettling mix of his usual eerie backgrounds with overly cartoonish figures. As for the story itself, Doris Vallejo was clearly not cut out to be a groundbreaking writer in this genre. Take away the fantasy elements, and this becomes a very basic, predictable tale about a boy confronting a monster--and winning, of course, but through means that aren't all that exciting or original. Still, the illustrations are far better than many others of the time, and Mrs. Vallejo's tale can certainly be judged "above average," so I'm giving it a median rating.

[Don Gubler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weak story, nice pictures.