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Stars Beneath Your Bed: The Surprising Story of Dust
What is dust? More than you think.
What can it do? You will be surprised.
Dust may seem small, dark, dirty, and dull. But it's the secret behind one of the largest, most colorful sights on earth.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 29, 2005
3 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
April Pulley Sayre
106 books105 followersApril Pulley Sayre was an award-winning children’s book author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud nonfiction books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. She is best known for pioneering literary ways to immerse young readers in natural events via creative storytelling and unusual perspectives.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 13, 2018
Charlie Brown's pal Pigpen likes to claim that he's not surrounded by dirt, but the "dust of ancient civilizations" and, good grief - he's right!
In Sayre's book, we learn that Dust is little bits of things. Crumbled leaves, dog dander, volcanic ash, skin flakes, scales from butterfly wings, and tiny pieces of asteroids make dust that travels all over the world. It can stay in the air for hundreds and thousands of years.
Dust is responsible not only for our beautiful sunsets and sunrises, but for rain, as well. Each raindrop needs a piece of dust to form.
Wow! Dust is pretty amazing stuff, huh?
My home has always been something of a dust refuge, but now I feel positively justified in not wiping away this amazing assemblage of star stuff.
In Sayre's book, we learn that Dust is little bits of things. Crumbled leaves, dog dander, volcanic ash, skin flakes, scales from butterfly wings, and tiny pieces of asteroids make dust that travels all over the world. It can stay in the air for hundreds and thousands of years.
Dust is responsible not only for our beautiful sunsets and sunrises, but for rain, as well. Each raindrop needs a piece of dust to form.
Wow! Dust is pretty amazing stuff, huh?
My home has always been something of a dust refuge, but now I feel positively justified in not wiping away this amazing assemblage of star stuff.
October 2, 2020
Want to feel better when dusting?
Like the water cycle, there is a dust cycle that is changed on a daily basis and is what makes sunsets are different each evening. Really! I had heard of cosmic dust, seen how volcano ash changes the sky, and so on but I have never really thought that much about dust. So, children would like to read this book because it is full of big thoughts and facts they can use to surprise people, which of course they love to do.
Recent fires have changed sunsets on the west coast, and sunsets are quite brilliant in 2020.
Like the water cycle, there is a dust cycle that is changed on a daily basis and is what makes sunsets are different each evening. Really! I had heard of cosmic dust, seen how volcano ash changes the sky, and so on but I have never really thought that much about dust. So, children would like to read this book because it is full of big thoughts and facts they can use to surprise people, which of course they love to do.
Recent fires have changed sunsets on the west coast, and sunsets are quite brilliant in 2020.
December 13, 2009
1st-4th Grade
April Pulley Sayre makes science interesting for children in this book that tells about the origins of dust. She gives the student examples of where the dust might have come from and gets their imaginations involved to think of how dust has an effect on our lives. She keeps the subject light by reducing the text to not interfere with the colorful illustrations that are done by Ann Jones. This book gets into the fact that dust is always around us and has been here forever, that makes the reader think about their own place in the universe. I really enjoyed this book and I feel that it can be read to or read by a wide age group as there is something for the younger and older students.
Science/social science - This book can be used in a lesson to find what different things in the classroom amkes up the dust around them. A sticky surface attached to paper and hung in different parts of the class can collect the dust around and then the students can discover the different materials that make up dust by looking at it under a microscope.
April Pulley Sayre makes science interesting for children in this book that tells about the origins of dust. She gives the student examples of where the dust might have come from and gets their imaginations involved to think of how dust has an effect on our lives. She keeps the subject light by reducing the text to not interfere with the colorful illustrations that are done by Ann Jones. This book gets into the fact that dust is always around us and has been here forever, that makes the reader think about their own place in the universe. I really enjoyed this book and I feel that it can be read to or read by a wide age group as there is something for the younger and older students.
Science/social science - This book can be used in a lesson to find what different things in the classroom amkes up the dust around them. A sticky surface attached to paper and hung in different parts of the class can collect the dust around and then the students can discover the different materials that make up dust by looking at it under a microscope.
December 10, 2011
Genre: Junior Book- Informational
Summary: This poetic picture book tells the story of dust in a way that will interest readers of all ages. You learn what dust is, where it comes from, and other interesting facts that might surprise you. At the end, there is a longer and in depth explanation to some of the things talked about in the book.
Critique: Theme- Interconnected World
The pictures really bring this story to life. Each picture shows displays such different habitats which convey to the reader how interconnected the world is. The book talks about how dust travels across countries, remains in the world for a long time, and the different ways dust can be produced in different regions. It really shows children that dust can be more than simply dirt under your bed. The cover of the book, which is also within the story is one of the most interesting to me. It shows planets traveling into a child’s room and falling under his bed. Everyone gets dust under their beds, so they can relate to this situation; but what is most intriguing is thinking that the dust could be pieces of an asteroid or planet sitting in your own room. It makes the world seem a little bit smaller and more connected with one another.
Curriculum Connection: Many science themed lessons could branch off of the topics in this book. This book could be a segway into a lesson on the environment and environmental issues. It could be used to show students how their choices affect everyone on the planet. It could be used to talk about habitats or soil. The students could talk about properties of light when talking about dust and the sunset.
Summary: This poetic picture book tells the story of dust in a way that will interest readers of all ages. You learn what dust is, where it comes from, and other interesting facts that might surprise you. At the end, there is a longer and in depth explanation to some of the things talked about in the book.
Critique: Theme- Interconnected World
The pictures really bring this story to life. Each picture shows displays such different habitats which convey to the reader how interconnected the world is. The book talks about how dust travels across countries, remains in the world for a long time, and the different ways dust can be produced in different regions. It really shows children that dust can be more than simply dirt under your bed. The cover of the book, which is also within the story is one of the most interesting to me. It shows planets traveling into a child’s room and falling under his bed. Everyone gets dust under their beds, so they can relate to this situation; but what is most intriguing is thinking that the dust could be pieces of an asteroid or planet sitting in your own room. It makes the world seem a little bit smaller and more connected with one another.
Curriculum Connection: Many science themed lessons could branch off of the topics in this book. This book could be a segway into a lesson on the environment and environmental issues. It could be used to show students how their choices affect everyone on the planet. It could be used to talk about habitats or soil. The students could talk about properties of light when talking about dust and the sunset.
December 22, 2010
would say there is a very good flow with this style of writing. She writes clear and as it does some-what rhyme the metrical aspect of this writing helps the child with their literacy as well. But aside from that, I also noticed that she chose things in the large external environment that a child could easily relate to, such as “dust is made everywhere, every day. A flower drops pollen. A dog shakes dirt from it’s fur. A butterfly flutters, and scales fall off its wings. That’s dust. Dust is little bits of things.” I feel like this direct quote from the book gets the emergent reader’s attention and then goes on to educate with what types of things dust is a part of. April instructs the child that dust has been around for centuries with King Tut, that it’s made in nature, and there she gives examples of specific animals they may know. So the progression of informing the reader about this topic is very fully developed and entirely logical, but it’s also whimsical and curious so that a child will want to ask “well does dust come from this___(insert curious item)?” It’s very much like how many grains of sand on the earth? This type of an open ended question is so amazing to a child, because they get to be the one to solve all of the items, even though they don’t really solve them.
December 6, 2008
Stars Beneath Your Bed (The Surprising Story of Dust) is a clever way to teach kids about the sneaky almost invisible concept of dust.
It shows that dust comes from everything and that is just what it is.... little bits of things (big AND small things)!
The author uses specific examples to get kids minds thinking creatively.
"Dust can be bits of unexpected things- a crumbling leaf, the eyelash of a seal, the scales of a snake, the smoke of burning toast, ash from an erupting volcano."
"Dust that made King Tut sneeze is still on Earth. It might be on your floor."
"The dust of our day will color the sunset we see."
The ending of the story has facts on dust and sunsets. It says that anything smaller than one-sixteenth of a millimeter in diameter is considered dust.
This would be a great text for a science unit!!! (or a class book on dust)
It ends by saying:
"Dust can stay in the air for hundreds and thousands of years. Inside your house you may find powder that Cleopatra put on her feet,..... or dust that Martin Luther King Jr. brushed off of his coat." It is a mind boggling thing to think about and delivers the complicated idea of dust in a fun and friendly way.
It shows that dust comes from everything and that is just what it is.... little bits of things (big AND small things)!
The author uses specific examples to get kids minds thinking creatively.
"Dust can be bits of unexpected things- a crumbling leaf, the eyelash of a seal, the scales of a snake, the smoke of burning toast, ash from an erupting volcano."
"Dust that made King Tut sneeze is still on Earth. It might be on your floor."
"The dust of our day will color the sunset we see."
The ending of the story has facts on dust and sunsets. It says that anything smaller than one-sixteenth of a millimeter in diameter is considered dust.
This would be a great text for a science unit!!! (or a class book on dust)
It ends by saying:
"Dust can stay in the air for hundreds and thousands of years. Inside your house you may find powder that Cleopatra put on her feet,..... or dust that Martin Luther King Jr. brushed off of his coat." It is a mind boggling thing to think about and delivers the complicated idea of dust in a fun and friendly way.
October 6, 2014
Sayre, A. (2005). Stars Beneath Your Bed: The Surprising Story of Dust. Greenwillow Books.
Picture Book Projec
Choice/ ALSC 2006 Notable Children's Books
This concept book talks about an interesting and not so often discussed subject, dust. The book talks about all the things that dust can come from and I can personally say that I did not think of even half of the examples. The illustrations were created in a way that enhanced the words and really put dust into a visual perspective. It was interesting to see how well dust could be illustrated. This could easily jump around the grades and could interest readers on several levels and interests.
I think this book would be super interesting for students and I believe it would spark their curiosity, thus making them more engaged to read. I would love to use this book in my classroom to start teaching students how to debate/discuss novel topics. For instance, before reading, have students say what they know about dust. Then compare to what is read in the book. It could also be extended to have students think in a more creative way by thinking of things that were not covered in the book.
Picture Book Projec
Choice/ ALSC 2006 Notable Children's Books
This concept book talks about an interesting and not so often discussed subject, dust. The book talks about all the things that dust can come from and I can personally say that I did not think of even half of the examples. The illustrations were created in a way that enhanced the words and really put dust into a visual perspective. It was interesting to see how well dust could be illustrated. This could easily jump around the grades and could interest readers on several levels and interests.
I think this book would be super interesting for students and I believe it would spark their curiosity, thus making them more engaged to read. I would love to use this book in my classroom to start teaching students how to debate/discuss novel topics. For instance, before reading, have students say what they know about dust. Then compare to what is read in the book. It could also be extended to have students think in a more creative way by thinking of things that were not covered in the book.
October 1, 2010
I absolutely love this book--from pictures to concept. "At sunrise, the sun, low in the sky, peeks through dusty air. Dust from us and dirt and dinosaurs scatters light, painting the sky like fire." This is a quick read that can be used to bring some interesting new perspective to an everyday substance. Makes me think a little more fondly of the dust I have (unintentionally) collected at home--after all if it could have made King Tut sneeze or "muddied a dinosaur" that dust might have a long, long history. Be sure to read the prologue entitled "Dust and Sunsets". Just too cool.
March 8, 2014
3.75 Stars The title is "The Surprise Story of Dust" and it didn't disappoint. The pictures are great, the wording is good but not my taste...just not smooth and flowing. I learned that the dust from the dinosaur era could be on my computer screen and the dust Martin Luther King Jr brushed from his coat could be on my car! Very interesting. I haven't thought about dust being cosmic...part of it coming from outer space! A lot to think about!!
March 12, 2014
This is a very cute book about where dust comes from and why it is around. It gives cute examples throughout the book. The book also has certain rhyming patterns that continue as you read on. I really think that children will like that aspect of the book. The pictures are very neat and colorful. I like this book because it tells children why dust is around and where it comes from. Some children may never think about dust until this book.
June 6, 2015
I loved this book -- science and poetry together. To me, it seemed perfect for my kids, and I would have given it 5 stars no problem, but I made the mistake of mentioning that I loved it to my 4 year old. He DID NOT love it. "There were no stars!" he objected. He wanted it to be much more dramatic. But I thought it was great, so maybe this is just a kids' book that's really for the parents.
August 23, 2008
It is not often that I get interested in a story about dust, but this book is listed as a "notable children's book" for a reason. I won't give it all away here, but if your child is interested in space or stars, this book will be very fascinating.
January 22, 2009
I thought this title was going to make for a fantastic imagination story, but I should've looked at the subtitle to know that's not the case. For a scientifically minded curious kid, this would be perfect, but for a wiggly toddler, not so much.
December 29, 2009
A fascinating look at dust and to a smaller extent, the cycle of life and how all things are created from what came before. It has a poetic narrative and colorful illustrations and is short enough to keep a child's attention while still teaching about science.
February 12, 2012
This explanation of dust couldn't have been much simpler or more clearly presented. It was interesting. I didn't truly appreciate the role dust plays in our lives before I read this. Now, I am very much aware and extremely impressed. A highly recommended read for anyone on Earth.
January 17, 2013
Excellent! Loved the opportunity for conversation and teachable moment. Great! The kids really loved the concept that there are particles left by dinosaurs still around today, and I really loved the end of the book summary.
March 25, 2013
This was a GREAT non-fiction read-aloud for kindergarten. I was surprised by what I learned in this book. I asked our students before I started the book what they THINK dust is made of. Then, I asked them after reading the book what they KNOW it is made of. Highly recommended!
February 25, 2014
Who knew that a book about dust would be so interesting! It also grossed us out a little bit because dust is really old. The dust under our bed could've touched a dinosaur, and our skin flakes off all the time, and that is dust, too. YUCK!
September 18, 2014
The illustrations in this book are beautiful, almost as beautiful as the words. Written in a poetic manor this book graphically describes how all things are dust, and tells where dust comes from. This story took a plain everyday nuisance and painted it into a beautiful mystery of life.
October 12, 2020
I give this book five stars because it expands the mind to think about systems and how everything is related. The dust under the bed might have once been dinosaur bones, or stardust, just like the stuff we are made of.
April 15, 2008
Another favorite from our summer reading promotion. Beautiful watercolor illustrations and interesting science in a poetic manner.
July 26, 2009
I was a little disappointed by this book, as I thought it was have use a little more imagination; however, I did learn some interesting facts about dust.
March 10, 2012
Who knew dust could be so fascinating?
July 18, 2012
everyone needs to read
this
and learn
about
DUST!
without it
we would
be dead
and
we would
have no
beauty!
this
and learn
about
DUST!
without it
we would
be dead
and
we would
have no
beauty!
August 22, 2012
Who knew dust could be so interesting?
February 10, 2014
My six year old loved this.
April 10, 2015
I would not have guessed that a book about dust would be fascinating! This is a great springboard for further research by students, and the text is enhanced by scientific explanations at the end.
August 13, 2015
Educational.....I've learned some things about dust that I hadn't known before or even considered.
November 1, 2016
My daughter brought this home from the library, and I read it, expecting it to be dry but interesting; I was very pleasantly surprised how enjoyable reading it turned out to be.
April 25, 2018
I read this book to 4th graders at Kiwanis and it was well-received. I love this story. April Pulley Sayre and Ann Jonas are a good team--I hope they collaborate again soon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews