Janet Kloeckner Halfmann, who grew up in rural St. Johns, released her 33rd children’s book May 24.
Titled “Star of the Sea: A Day in the life Life of a Starfish,” the book follows the adventures of an ochre sea star as she hunts for breakfast on a rocky seashore. Illustrator Joan Paley created the book’s collage pictures using hand-painted papers. The nonfiction picture book from Henry Holt is for children ages 5-9.
“Richie’s Picks” called the book “A stellar read” and “Publishers Weekly” said, “Poetic verse and vibrant collages characterize this tribute to starfish.” The book is a Junior Library Guild Selection.
Halfmann said she has long been fascinated by sea stars. In researching the book, she found these ocean creatures to be even more amazing than she imagined.
“I learned that they can hunt only underwater because they use hundreds of tiny, water-powered feet to move,” she said. “And a sea star can spit its stomach right out of its mouth and into a tiny crack in the shells of a mussel.”
Since writing the book, Halfmann has been able to touch a live ochre sea star at Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.
“I had to examine every inch of it—its tube feet, the mouth on its underside, its spines,” she said.
“Star of the Sea” is available at area and online bookstores, and later this summer will be at the Clinton County Arts Council Art Gallery in St. Johns, which now carries another recent Halfmann book, “Good Night, Little Sea Otter.”
