When the Stars Came Home

A 2023 Horn Book Fanfare title • A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Book of 2023 • A CCBC Choices Best Book of 2023

A heartwarming look at how the comfort of tradition and story can create a true sense of belonging, told through an Indigenous lens.  

When Ojiig moves to the city with his family, he misses everything they left behind. Most of all, he misses the sparkling night sky. Without the stars watching over him, he feels lost.

His parents try to help, but nothing seems to work. Not glow-in-the-dark sticker stars, not a star-shaped nightlight. But then they have a new idea for how to make Ojiig feel better — a special quilt stitched through with family stories that will wrap Ojiig in the warmth of knowing who he is and where he came from. Join this irresistible family as they discover the power of story and tradition to make a new place feel like home.