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The January Stars
When twelve-year old Clancy and her fourteen-year-old sister, Tash, visit their Pa at his aged-care facility, they have no idea that the three of them will soon set out on an intrepid adventure.
Along the way there are many challenges for Tash and Clancy to overcome and in the process, they discover their own resourcefulness and resilience and demonstrate their heartfelt love for their grandfather.
Along the way there are many challenges for Tash and Clancy to overcome and in the process, they discover their own resourcefulness and resilience and demonstrate their heartfelt love for their grandfather.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2020
5 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Kate Constable
24 books282 followersKate Constable was born in Sangringham, Melbourne (Victoria, Australia). When she was six-years-old, her family moved to Papua New Guinea where her father worked as a pilot.
Constable got her Arts/Law degree at Melborne University, then got a job at Warner Music. She started writing during these years.
She wrote several short-stories before becoming an author and after her first attempt at writing a novel she fell in love with the man that is now her husband. They have a daughter.
Constable's first official novel was The Singer of All Songs, in a trilogy called The Chanters of Tremaris. It was published in 2002, a few weeks after Constable's daughter was born.
Constable got her Arts/Law degree at Melborne University, then got a job at Warner Music. She started writing during these years.
She wrote several short-stories before becoming an author and after her first attempt at writing a novel she fell in love with the man that is now her husband. They have a daughter.
Constable's first official novel was The Singer of All Songs, in a trilogy called The Chanters of Tremaris. It was published in 2002, a few weeks after Constable's daughter was born.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 22, 2021
"Being fugitives on the run seemed exciting on television. But in real life, it wasn't much fun at all."
August 10, 2021
A sweet and wholesome book, although at times stupid, unbelievable and frustrating. I do wish the 'magical realism' element was explored more.
June 7, 2020
A delightful Australian middle-grade fiction, The January Stars combines a heist (sort of) with a magical (maybe?) journey across Melbourne, that results in a extraordinary story about family, listening and the stars.
When 12-year-old Clancy’s parents leave on an emergency family trip to New Zealand, she and her older sister Tash convince their parents they will be fine to stay with their aunt. But when their aunt also leaves on a trip, the girls find themselves alone. They decide to visit their grandfather in his aged-care facility and thanks to a slight incident with a cat, an open door, runaway residents and an angry nurse, the girls find themselves on the run with their Pa. The girls must pool their resources and shelve their constant fighting if they are going to outrun the growing amount of adults that seem to be chasing them, including an irate real estate agent and the police.
I was totally hooked by the idea of a story in which two young girls steal their grandfather from a nursing home. It was utterly delightful from start to finish. Clancy and Tash manage to accidentally break their Pa out and he couldn’t be happier. After suffering a stroke, Godfrey can’t speak much and relies on a wheelchair to get around but he is plenty able to communicate his happiness to run away with the girls. They start by visiting their old family home and venture from there as various adults challenge them.
Clancy is our narrator. She is used to being bossed around by Tash, but she is quite happy to let Tash take the lead in their adventure. Clancy is good at spotting details and listening, but it also makes her a little anxious about things. As the girls and their Pa continue their adventure, Clancy reflects on her relationship with her Nan, who seems to be directing their path. They make a few friends along the way and avoid confrontations with a number of people who seem to want to stop them. The characters are diverse. Clancy and Tash are Chinese Australian and reflect on the way people question their heritage and connection to their Australian grandparents. There are also LGBT representations.
The January Star is a fun story. Perfect for middle-grade readers who like a touch of the magical in their realistic fiction. This is a wonderful cross-generations story about family, memories and love.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
When 12-year-old Clancy’s parents leave on an emergency family trip to New Zealand, she and her older sister Tash convince their parents they will be fine to stay with their aunt. But when their aunt also leaves on a trip, the girls find themselves alone. They decide to visit their grandfather in his aged-care facility and thanks to a slight incident with a cat, an open door, runaway residents and an angry nurse, the girls find themselves on the run with their Pa. The girls must pool their resources and shelve their constant fighting if they are going to outrun the growing amount of adults that seem to be chasing them, including an irate real estate agent and the police.
I was totally hooked by the idea of a story in which two young girls steal their grandfather from a nursing home. It was utterly delightful from start to finish. Clancy and Tash manage to accidentally break their Pa out and he couldn’t be happier. After suffering a stroke, Godfrey can’t speak much and relies on a wheelchair to get around but he is plenty able to communicate his happiness to run away with the girls. They start by visiting their old family home and venture from there as various adults challenge them.
Clancy is our narrator. She is used to being bossed around by Tash, but she is quite happy to let Tash take the lead in their adventure. Clancy is good at spotting details and listening, but it also makes her a little anxious about things. As the girls and their Pa continue their adventure, Clancy reflects on her relationship with her Nan, who seems to be directing their path. They make a few friends along the way and avoid confrontations with a number of people who seem to want to stop them. The characters are diverse. Clancy and Tash are Chinese Australian and reflect on the way people question their heritage and connection to their Australian grandparents. There are also LGBT representations.
The January Star is a fun story. Perfect for middle-grade readers who like a touch of the magical in their realistic fiction. This is a wonderful cross-generations story about family, memories and love.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
April 22, 2020
I read this book as part of my bookclub. We wanted to read something that we could read with our children.
Generally, I enjoyed this book. It was a nice whimsical tale about a fractured family that finds it's way back together. Super easy to read and at times, really engaging and difficult to put down, though I had to keep reminding myself that this is YA fiction and intended for a much younger audience than I.
That said there was a lot about the book that was pure BS. The parents knocking off to NZ with one out of three kids? The Aunt heading off to Sydney for the weekend and leaving the other two on their own. The Old folks home letting two kids walk out with a resident, the other aunt just letting them leave without informing anybody because she didn't want the family to know she was at an Ashram all had me rolling my eyes and scoffing 'as if'. There was more but you get the idea.
The older sister Tash, really needed a good hard slap. She was completely unlikeable and I didn't really understand why everyone, the adults especially, just pandered to her and let her carry on the way she did. Pregnant Pip is a good example. If a 14-year-old turned up on my doorstep with my father looking grey and needing medical attention while started telling me what to do, she'd find out pretty damn quick who was in charge.
But you know, Nan's magic or some such.
Speaking of Nan's magic. I really liked this idea and I wish it had of been fleshed out with a bit more guts to it than just Clancy seeing signs everywhere. Finding themselves in the bookshop, the moon and the books felt like it had more substance to it than most of the rest of the "signs".
The made-up suburb names drove me nuts especially since the book was littered with actual suburbs and icons too. It seemed bizarre to talk about Southerncross station and flinders lane and then make up an entire suburb. Why base the book in Melbourne at all? Just make up a city.
A very easy to read book that was generally an enjoyable read with a lovely ending. Suited for younger audience around the 9-12 age bracket.
Generally, I enjoyed this book. It was a nice whimsical tale about a fractured family that finds it's way back together. Super easy to read and at times, really engaging and difficult to put down, though I had to keep reminding myself that this is YA fiction and intended for a much younger audience than I.
That said there was a lot about the book that was pure BS. The parents knocking off to NZ with one out of three kids? The Aunt heading off to Sydney for the weekend and leaving the other two on their own. The Old folks home letting two kids walk out with a resident, the other aunt just letting them leave without informing anybody because she didn't want the family to know she was at an Ashram all had me rolling my eyes and scoffing 'as if'. There was more but you get the idea.
The older sister Tash, really needed a good hard slap. She was completely unlikeable and I didn't really understand why everyone, the adults especially, just pandered to her and let her carry on the way she did. Pregnant Pip is a good example. If a 14-year-old turned up on my doorstep with my father looking grey and needing medical attention while started telling me what to do, she'd find out pretty damn quick who was in charge.
But you know, Nan's magic or some such.
Speaking of Nan's magic. I really liked this idea and I wish it had of been fleshed out with a bit more guts to it than just Clancy seeing signs everywhere. Finding themselves in the bookshop, the moon and the books felt like it had more substance to it than most of the rest of the "signs".
The made-up suburb names drove me nuts especially since the book was littered with actual suburbs and icons too. It seemed bizarre to talk about Southerncross station and flinders lane and then make up an entire suburb. Why base the book in Melbourne at all? Just make up a city.
A very easy to read book that was generally an enjoyable read with a lovely ending. Suited for younger audience around the 9-12 age bracket.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 30, 2021
Trigger warnings: racism, death of a grandparent (in the past).
I was somewhat hesitant going into this because Crow Country is.......yeah. Not my favourite thing in the world. But this? This was WONDERFUL. I found myself utterly absorbed in it and I read like 70% of it in an hour.
Clancy is a delightful protagonist, and I loved how strong the relationship is between the girls and their grandfather. The fabulism elements of the story were fantastic, and I really enjoyed all the secondary characters that pop in and out of the story. The adventure side of things, journeying all over Melbourne and various places in country Victoria, was great. And I loved the way that Clancy's love of astronomy flows throughout the story.
There are also some very interesting discussions of the fact that Clancy and Tash are biracial and that their grandfather is white and the instant suspicion that people have when they see two kids with Asian heritage pushing an old white dude around.
So yeah, on the whole, this was fantastic and I flew through it. Plus, that cover is GLORIOUS.
I was somewhat hesitant going into this because Crow Country is.......yeah. Not my favourite thing in the world. But this? This was WONDERFUL. I found myself utterly absorbed in it and I read like 70% of it in an hour.
Clancy is a delightful protagonist, and I loved how strong the relationship is between the girls and their grandfather. The fabulism elements of the story were fantastic, and I really enjoyed all the secondary characters that pop in and out of the story. The adventure side of things, journeying all over Melbourne and various places in country Victoria, was great. And I loved the way that Clancy's love of astronomy flows throughout the story.
There are also some very interesting discussions of the fact that Clancy and Tash are biracial and that their grandfather is white and the instant suspicion that people have when they see two kids with Asian heritage pushing an old white dude around.
So yeah, on the whole, this was fantastic and I flew through it. Plus, that cover is GLORIOUS.
July 15, 2020
When Clancy and Tash visit their pa in his resthome they have no idea about the journey they will take over the coming days. What starts out as freeing their pa from his resthome and visiting their old family home turns into a mission to give their pa a better life with his family that will take care of him. They will travel by taxi, car and train to visit their aunties in the hope that they will be able to take care of their pa.
I loved this road trip with Clancy, Tash and their Pa. I admit to not really liking the girls to start with but the more time I spent with them the more I liked them. I really admired their determination to give their grandfather a better life than the one he was living in his rest home. Their mission to take their grandfather to live with one of his daughters takes them far and wide, from the city to the country, from their grandparent’s old home to a yoga retreat in the bush. Their journey tests their relationship with each other but ultimately strengthens their bond. There is also a sense of magic about their journey too with unusual encounters and signs from their dead grandmother that help to point them to where they need to go.
January Stars is a story that will stick with me.
I loved this road trip with Clancy, Tash and their Pa. I admit to not really liking the girls to start with but the more time I spent with them the more I liked them. I really admired their determination to give their grandfather a better life than the one he was living in his rest home. Their mission to take their grandfather to live with one of his daughters takes them far and wide, from the city to the country, from their grandparent’s old home to a yoga retreat in the bush. Their journey tests their relationship with each other but ultimately strengthens their bond. There is also a sense of magic about their journey too with unusual encounters and signs from their dead grandmother that help to point them to where they need to go.
January Stars is a story that will stick with me.
January 26, 2020
So good. RTC.
May 2, 2020
A touching read for middle school readers
February 2, 2020
Review to be published in the next B+P!
August 22, 2021
Not fluid. Difficult to read. Bits missing?
2 sisters (Clancy and Tash, who have a Chinese mum) kidnapped their grandpa from a home, and return to Rosella, their grandparents house, and a friend’s bookstore (?, which disappears façon cool magic realism). Grandpa had a stroke and can’t speak (only “sp-sp-sp”). Grandma Stella, who passed away, seems to guide Clancy via planets related signs, who also love astronomy (meteor ( in sky) not equal to meteorite (touch earth)) incl. Neil de Grass Tyson. Finally found other aunties in Ashram and one pregnant… Toby = friendly teen with 2 mums. Happy ending with all living in Rosella
2 sisters (Clancy and Tash, who have a Chinese mum) kidnapped their grandpa from a home, and return to Rosella, their grandparents house, and a friend’s bookstore (?, which disappears façon cool magic realism). Grandpa had a stroke and can’t speak (only “sp-sp-sp”). Grandma Stella, who passed away, seems to guide Clancy via planets related signs, who also love astronomy (meteor ( in sky) not equal to meteorite (touch earth)) incl. Neil de Grass Tyson. Finally found other aunties in Ashram and one pregnant… Toby = friendly teen with 2 mums. Happy ending with all living in Rosella
May 20, 2020
What I Loved About The January Stars:
- The strong and sometimes difficult relationship between Tash and Clancy;
- The magic! How I love to see threads of magic woven throughout a contemporary story;
- The racial diversity. Yes, let's paint a picture of the diversity of people in real life; and
-The adventure! Bring back adventure...
To be honest, there was so much I loved about this book that I closed the last page with a sigh. The January Stars is a great example of the multi-layered, beautifully written middle-grade stories around today. I highly (I wanna say that twice!), I doubly recommend this book for book lovers of middle-grade stories.
I bought my copy of The January Stars from specialist children's bookshop, Paper Bird in Fremantle.
- The strong and sometimes difficult relationship between Tash and Clancy;
- The magic! How I love to see threads of magic woven throughout a contemporary story;
- The racial diversity. Yes, let's paint a picture of the diversity of people in real life; and
-The adventure! Bring back adventure...
To be honest, there was so much I loved about this book that I closed the last page with a sigh. The January Stars is a great example of the multi-layered, beautifully written middle-grade stories around today. I highly (I wanna say that twice!), I doubly recommend this book for book lovers of middle-grade stories.
I bought my copy of The January Stars from specialist children's bookshop, Paper Bird in Fremantle.
January 2, 2021
Tash and Clancy go to visit their beloved grandpa in his care facility. Wheelchair bound and suffering with Aphasia he is only able to say a few words like Yes, No and Bugger! With the help of a mystery cat, and possibly the ghost of grandma, they end up leaving the care facility and embarking on an epic adventure. This book is absolutely delightful. So visual and engaging. I could picture it all so easily and I hope that someone makes this into a film one day. I love that the story is threaded with magic and astronomy, with Clancy always looking for signs to set them on the right course. I am so happy to see more racial diversity making its way into books these days, especially as leading characters. It is refreshing, and a much more realistic portrayal of the world we live in. The relationship between the sisters is tense, but also fierce with love. They are resourceful, and the tenderness and love for their Pa is heartfelt. I love the outcome with Rosella. There is honestly so much to love about this book. Highly recommended for anyone that enjoys middle-grade fiction and lovely family centered stories. Completely adorable book.
March 23, 2022
review:
I thought that this book was quite entertaining and grasping. It is very relatable to our lives...except,we don’t have that much adventure. I felt that with one very adventurous character one very shy, this book was balanced out perfectly. Not forgetting Pa, whom the girls had to take care of the entire trip. They did too,very responsibly. They did make a few mistakes here and there, but what’s adventure without mistakes right? Travelling across the entire city, from one family to another, with their parents in New Zealand bailing their uncle out of jail, eventually the distant family the has to come together to make the wrongs right and they end up living together. This is all guided ( in Clancy’s view ) by her late grandmother whom she never got to meet. She knew that her grandmother loved astronomy, just like her and is connected to her in that way. Overall,this book is like an adventurous family reunion that involves faith,belief and bravery.
I thought that this book was quite entertaining and grasping. It is very relatable to our lives...except,we don’t have that much adventure. I felt that with one very adventurous character one very shy, this book was balanced out perfectly. Not forgetting Pa, whom the girls had to take care of the entire trip. They did too,very responsibly. They did make a few mistakes here and there, but what’s adventure without mistakes right? Travelling across the entire city, from one family to another, with their parents in New Zealand bailing their uncle out of jail, eventually the distant family the has to come together to make the wrongs right and they end up living together. This is all guided ( in Clancy’s view ) by her late grandmother whom she never got to meet. She knew that her grandmother loved astronomy, just like her and is connected to her in that way. Overall,this book is like an adventurous family reunion that involves faith,belief and bravery.
June 2, 2020
Clancy and Tash are a likable and believable pair of sisters who inadvertently kidnap their grandfather from his aged care home. Their Pa has suffered a stroke and communicates mostly in grunts, yeses and nos. In spite of this, he is an authentic character who manages to communicate so much with so little and really gives the story its beating heart. The girls are convinced that Pa's not happy in the home and decide to break the rules and sneak him out. They plan to find him a new place to live with one of their aunts and so begins their adventure. There's a lot of running in this book - escaping from authorities, etc - and the pace is great. There's also a delightful sprinkle of magic realism, especially playing with the idea that the girl's deceased Nan is helping them on their quest. A wonderful middle-grade read with a really satisfying ending. Highly recommended!
August 11, 2020
14-year-old Tash and her younger sister Clancy are left in the care of their (barely known) aunt Polly, while their parents and young brother are in New Zealand sorting out a family crisis. With one day left of their stay, Polly scarpers off to Sydney, with many apologies to the girls, imploring them to stay safe. Yeah right. Tash decides to visit Pa who, after a stroke now lives in an aged care facility. Dragging a reluctant Clancy along, they manage to (unintentionally) liberate their grandfather and end up on the run from the authorities. With a heightened sense to suspend disbelief, kids may enjoy the trouble the girls encounter with their wheelchair-bound Pa, and as an introduction to an old person with physical problems, this is a good start.
October 25, 2020
This is a feel good middle grade book that deals with the complexity of family with a dash of magic thrown in.
We are introduced to Clancy and Tash who are typical tween/teens in a family who are not getting along well. On top of this their Poppa was placed in an aged care facility after a stroke left him unable to walk or communicate well.
When their parents, along with their younger brother, have to travel to New Zealand suddenly (to bail a wayward uncle out of jail) the girls are dumped on an Aunt they barely know and don’t seem to particularly like.
The girls visit their Poppa and, after a series of events, accidentally kidnap him from the nursing home. Thus begins their journey together traveling around the state learning about their past, themselves, and their family.
This was such a beautiful story which deals with relationships, grief, change, acceptance, racism, and a sprinkle of magic. These topics sound heavy but the author did a wonderful job of addressing these issues so young readers aren’t overwhelmed. There is humour as well and a tiny magical/spiritual element which adds to the atmosphere of the story.
Overall this a story of positivity and hope. This is one of those books when you finish reading it you feel happy and hopeful. The messages in this book are great and good for kids (and adults) to read.
Highly recommend this read to all.
We are introduced to Clancy and Tash who are typical tween/teens in a family who are not getting along well. On top of this their Poppa was placed in an aged care facility after a stroke left him unable to walk or communicate well.
When their parents, along with their younger brother, have to travel to New Zealand suddenly (to bail a wayward uncle out of jail) the girls are dumped on an Aunt they barely know and don’t seem to particularly like.
The girls visit their Poppa and, after a series of events, accidentally kidnap him from the nursing home. Thus begins their journey together traveling around the state learning about their past, themselves, and their family.
This was such a beautiful story which deals with relationships, grief, change, acceptance, racism, and a sprinkle of magic. These topics sound heavy but the author did a wonderful job of addressing these issues so young readers aren’t overwhelmed. There is humour as well and a tiny magical/spiritual element which adds to the atmosphere of the story.
Overall this a story of positivity and hope. This is one of those books when you finish reading it you feel happy and hopeful. The messages in this book are great and good for kids (and adults) to read.
Highly recommend this read to all.
January 12, 2021
Such a beautiful and heartwarming story. I loved the intertwined reference to how life and the universe seem to mimic. The entropic situation of families that disperse and become disassociated with each other and the gravitational pull and magic of generations past to draw them back together or make them reconnect. I love the message of being content and happy to be oneself and not striving to fit into the world of others. We can be different and exist together with love and understanding and respect 🥰
December 28, 2022
Clancy and Tash are shipped off to stay with Aunt Polly due to a family emergency. After visiting their grandfather in a nursing home, they know he’s not happy there and kidnap him.
On the run with their grandfather, a wheelchair user and aphasic, they need somewhere to stay. Grandfather’s house is a train trip away, but it’s for sale.
How do Clancy and Tash find somewhere to live and help with their grandfather?
I enjoyed the richness of the story, the complexity and the problems the characters had to solve.
Recommended for readers ten years and older.
On the run with their grandfather, a wheelchair user and aphasic, they need somewhere to stay. Grandfather’s house is a train trip away, but it’s for sale.
How do Clancy and Tash find somewhere to live and help with their grandfather?
I enjoyed the richness of the story, the complexity and the problems the characters had to solve.
Recommended for readers ten years and older.
April 13, 2020
The first chapter introduces a big family, with lots of members but the story is told by Clancy, the youngest sister who is not looking forward to starting high school. She and her sister accidentally end up “grandfather napping” their wheelchair bound Pop from his old persons home. The consequences lead to travels via walking, train and car to find his home, aunts and a bookshop continually guided by the stars and moon. This would suit year 6, 7-8 secondary students.
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April 30, 2020Thankyou Allen & Unwin for my free advanced copy.
Really enjoyed The January Stars, read the book in 2 sittings. Great book full of love for family.
Clancy, Tash and their grandfather really come to life in such a wonderful relatable way. It’s a heartwarming story of overcoming challenges and how being resourceful and resilient can help with life.
Clancy has to be my favourite character.
Recommended for ages 10+
Really enjoyed The January Stars, read the book in 2 sittings. Great book full of love for family.
Clancy, Tash and their grandfather really come to life in such a wonderful relatable way. It’s a heartwarming story of overcoming challenges and how being resourceful and resilient can help with life.
Clancy has to be my favourite character.
Recommended for ages 10+
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October 27, 2021A delightful middle grade adventure/family drama. Clashing sisters inadvertently rescue their Grandpa from a care home. He wants to see the home he lived in, to feel close to Grandma. A few mistakes and they find themselves on the run. Only, Grandpa has aphasia and is in a wheelchair, so getting around is a challenge. This is an adventure that brings the Australian setting to life. It also brings in intriguing aspects of magical realism. A thoroughly enjoyable yarn.
August 22, 2020
4.5. Lovely story that’s explores sisterhood and family relationships as two sisters find themselves, in the strangest of circumstances, fighting for what is best for their elderly grandpa. Would recommend to Years 5-8.
August 23, 2020
I really liked this. It was an interesting blend of reality and fantasy. I felt like it could have been shorter but towards the end, with the length of the book, you definitely feel the girls' exhaustion and frustration with them.
April 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this story of two young girls who visit their grandfather in the rest home he lives in, and end up taking him on an unplanned adventure. There's plenty of action in the book along with a touch of magic. Great read.
August 28, 2022
I liked the inter generational relationship between Clancy and Pa, as well as the Indigenous astronomy. Lots of talking points with students, but I don’t think it’s entertaining enough for them to pick and and read on their own.
May 31, 2020
A really good read. Recommended for Year 6 and above.
June 1, 2020
4.5 stars - unpredictable, sweet family story, magical realism
September 20, 2020
A rollicking family adventure that sees sisters, Clancy and Tash, kidnap their grandfather from his aged care home and travel across Melbourne following signs from Nan. Gorgeous.
September 20, 2020
Lovely story. About family getting back together and learning to appreciate the differences between them all.
November 15, 2020
A great and heart warming adventure for all ages!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews